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



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



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



The invasive red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, dominates swaths of the southeastern United States and is spreading on multiple continents. 



Ecologically and economically, it is one of the most impactful insects on Earth. It also comes in two distinct social forms.



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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'Selfish DNA' can result in minority influence in social animal groups, including humans

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

Plastic pollution is increasingly invading Antarctica. Two long-term studies from the <a href="https://www.bas.ac.uk/">British Antarctic Survey</a> (BAS) have measured the extent of plastic pollution in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/antarctic-ice-loss-sea-level/">Antarctica</a>. The collective findings show an increased prevalence of plastic waste and highlight the impact that plastic pollution has on animals in remote polar habitats. 

Over the last three decades, BAS scientists have collected marine debris on the beaches of Bird Island and Signy Island. The amount of debris has increased, and the majority of 10,000 items recovered by the team was plastic waste. 

"While we found an increase in the quantity of beached plastic debris, recent surveys have shown increasing numbers of smaller pieces. This might be due to the breakdown of larger pieces of plastic which have been in the Southern Ocean for a long time," said study lead author Dr. Claire Waluda.

"It's not all bad news. With the amount of plastic recovered on beaches peaking in the 1990s, our study suggests that the measures to restrict the amount of debris entering the Southern Ocean have been successful, at least in part. But more still needs to be done." 

"By putting our data into oceanographic models we will learn more about the sources and sinks of plastic waste and how it is transported into and around the Southern Ocean."

In the second study, the researchers looked at plastic waste ingested by three species of albatrosses, including the wandering albatross on Bird Island. Seabirds often mistakenly ingest plastic and other debris while hunting for natural prey. 

The experts found significant variation in the type of plastic garbage ingested by different seabirds. Wandering albatrosses and giant petrels had primarily consumed food-related packaging, which is likely due to their tendency to forage behind fishing boats. Plastic waste is frequently discarded or lost from the vessels. 

"Our study adds to a growing body of evidence that fishing and other vessels make a major contribution to plastic pollution," said study lead author Professor Richard Phillips. "It's clear that marine plastics are a threat to seabirds and other wildlife and more needs to be done to improve waste-management practices and compliance monitoring both on land and on vessels in the South Atlantic."

"There is some good news, we found that black-browed albatrosses typically ingested relatively low levels of debris, suggesting that plastic pollution in the Antarctic waters where they feed remains relatively low."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/environment-international">Environment 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;

Plastic pollution is increasingly invading Antarctica

Plastic pollution is increasingly invading Antarctica. Two long-term studies from...

The extreme heat associated with <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/strategies-for-marine-reserves-are-overruled-by-climate-change/">climate change</a> is placing insects under a great deal of strain, and even small temperature changes can damage an insect's ability to reproduce. A new study led by the <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">University of British Columbia</a> has investigated the link between heat stress and fertility loss in honey bees.

While it is known that heat kills sperm in a broad range of animals, it is challenging to monitor these changes in honey bees and other pollinators.

For the current study, the researchers used mass spectrometry to analyze sperm stored in honey bee queens. The experts identified five proteins that are activated when the bees are exposed to extreme heat.

These proteins provide a great tool for monitoring heat stress in queen bees, as well as for predicting wider insect fertility losses related to heat stress. 

"Just like cholesterol levels are used to indicate the risk of heart disease in humans, these proteins could indicate whether a queen bee has experienced heat stress," said study lead author Alison McAfee. "If we start to see patterns of heat shock emerging among bees, that's when we really need to start worrying about other insects."

Honey bees are more resilient to heat stress than many other insects, but they are a useful proxy for measuring heat response because they are easily accessible. 

The reproductive capacity of queen bees is directly linked to the health and productivity of a colony. A queen bee needs viable sperm to produce enough worker bees to maintain her colony.

"We wanted to find out what 'safe' temperatures are for queen bees and explore two potential routes to heat exposure: during routine shipping and inside colonies," said McAfee. 

"This information is really important for beekeepers, who often have no way to tell what condition the queens they receive are in. That can have a really dramatic impact on their quality and quality of their colonies."

The team set out to determine how much heat the queen bees could handle before they "failed" to carry enough live sperm.

"Our data suggests that temperatures between 15 to 38 degrees Celsius are safe for queens," said McAfee. "Above 38 degrees, the percentage of live sperm dropped to or below the level we see in failed queens compared to healthy queens, which is an 11.5 percent decrease from the normal 90 per cent."

The researchers monitored the temperatures in three honey bee hives in California during the month of August, when the ambient temperature below each hive reached up to 45 degrees Celsius in the shade.

Within all three hives, the temperatures at the two outermost frames spiked upwards of 40 degrees Celsius for two to five hours. In two of the hives, temperatures exceeded 38 degrees Celsius one or two frames closer to the core.

"This tells us that a colony's ability to thermoregulate begins to break down in extreme heat, and queens can be vulnerable to heat stress even inside the hive," said study co-author Jeff Pettis.

Now that the researchers have established these key parameters, they will continue to examine how the heat-activated proteins in queen bees can be used to monitor fertility loss. 

"Proteins can change quite easily, so we want to figure out how long these signatures last and how that might affect our ability to detect these heat stress events," said McAfee. 

"I also want to figure out if we can identify similar markers for cold and pesticide exposure, so we can make more evidence-based management decisions. If we can use the same markers as part of a wider biomonitoring program, then that's twice as useful."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natsustain/">Nature Sustainability</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Honey bees reveal how heat stress affects fertility among insects

The extreme heat associated with climate change is placing insects...

In a new study published by <a href="https://www.liebertpub.com/">Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.</a>, experts have found that men are mostly portrayed on Instagram as having muscular and lean bodies. Even though this depiction of men has the potential to encourage exercise and other healthy behaviors, it is more likely to cause body dissatisfaction among men. 

"Body dissatisfaction is associated with a plethora of health consequences," wrote the study authors. "Social media has been named as one contributing factor for male body dissatisfaction." 

"Up until now, women have been the focus of body image-related social media studies." 

The researchers analyzed 1,000 relevant Instagram posts to investigate how the male body is portrayed on Instagram and how users respond to the images. 

Most of the men featured in the Instagram posts were lean and muscular, while only a small percentage of posts showed men with high body fat or low muscle content. 

The most common posts displayed men with very little body fat, and exercise was the most frequently shown behavior. 

It is often assumed that men are primarily driven by muscularity, but the results of this study "emphasize body fat being just as important for men," said the researchers.

The experts found that the number of likes and comments was strongly linked to body composition. As body fat levels dropped and levels of muscularity rose, the responses increased.

"Nowadays, men are faced with sociocultural influences giving rise to the desire for a muscular and lean body, resulting in men facing body dissatisfaction, which is associated with health consequences such as depression and eating pathology," wrote the study authors.  

"One of the sociocultural influences playing a role in the development of body dissatisfaction is ideal body type portrayal on media platforms. Men face a standard emphasizing muscularity and leanness in both traditional and social media."

Dr. Brenda K. Wiederhold is president of the Virtual Reality Medical Center and a clinical psychologist. She explained that, based on the social cognitive theory, body image pictures on Instagram may have a positive impact if the portrayals lead men to lead more healthy lifestyles.

"On the negative side, the skewed images may lead to male body dissatisfaction, depression, and eating disorders. We can use this knowledge to educate our patients about the false sense of reality often portrayed on social media," said Dr. Wiederhold.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.liebertpub.com/loi/cyber">Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Portrayal of men on Instagram may cause body dissatisfaction

In a new study published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.,...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.nih.gov/">National Institutes of Health</a> has established a strong link between sleep quality and <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/risk-factors-for-gestational-diabetes/">diabetes</a> risk. The researchers found that African Americans with sleep apnea and other sleep-related issues are more likely to have high blood glucose levels.

The research suggests that maintaining good sleep habits helps to protect against type 2 diabetes by controlling blood sugar.

The research team emphasized that screening for sleep apnea is important to prevent uncontrolled blood glucose levels among high-risk groups, including African-Americans.

Previous studies have linked poor sleep patterns, particularly those associated with sleep apnea, to elevated blood sugar levels in white and Asian populations. 

The researchers said the study is one of the first to use objective measurements to link poor sleep quality to increased blood glucose levels in black men and women.

Study lead author Dr. Yuichiro Yano is a researcher in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at Duke University.

"The study underscores the importance of developing interventions to promote regular sleep schedules, particularly in those with diabetes," said Dr. Yano. "It also reaffirms the need to improve the screening and diagnosis of sleep apnea, both in African Americans and other groups."

The researchers analyzed the sleep patterns and correlating blood sugar levels of nearly 800 African-American men and women. The study was focused on data from the Jackson Heart Study, the largest study of cardiovascular disease in African-Americans. 

The majority of the participants were women with an average age of 63. Around 57 percent of the individuals had been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea but were not receiving treatment, and 25 percent had type 2 diabetes.

The individuals conducted sleep tests at home with a tracking device that measured sleep activity for seven days. The tests calculated sleep duration, sleep quality, variability in sleep duration, and sleep fragmentation. 

The researchers obtained several measures of glucose metabolism, including fasting blood glucose concentration, HbA1c levels, and insulin resistance.

The participants were divided into four groups: no sleep apnea, mild sleep apnea, moderate sleep apnea, and severe sleep apnea. 

The study revealed that individuals with severe sleep apnea had higher fasting blood glucose levels by 14 percent compared to those without sleep apnea. Dr. Yano explained that severe sleep apnea was also associated with higher HbA1c levels.

Participants who experienced poor sleep patterns like sleep fragmentation and sleep duration variability were also more likely to have increased measures of blood glucose. 

The researchers noted that associations between poor sleep quality and high blood glucose levels were stronger in participants with diabetes. Among individuals without diabetes, disturbed sleep was still tied to increased insulin resistance, which is a precursor of diabetes. 

Dr. Yano and his team determined that the link between sleep apnea and high blood glucose levels was stronger among black men than black women. 

Dr. Michael Twery, director of the NHLBI's National Center on Sleep Disorders Research, said the study highlights important associations between untreated sleep apnea and poorly-regulated blood sugar. "It also adds to growing evidence that protecting our sleep, like diet and exercise, may help reduce the risk of diabetes and the related risk of cardiovascular disease."

The researchers concluded that interventions to treat sleep apnea, including the use of continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) machines, may help improve blood glucose management - particularly in those with diabetes. 

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/journal/jaha">Journal of the American Heart Association</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Poor sleep quality linked to higher risk of diabetes

A new study from the National Institutes of Health has...

Some types of heart disease increase COVID-19 risk. While it has been documented that certain types of heart disease increase the risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19, the underlying reasons for this link have not been entirely clear. 

In a new study from <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/">Mayo Clinic</a>, researchers have found evidence that one specific type of heart disease, obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), may leave patients particularly susceptible to the development of severe COVID-19 infection. According to the researchers, HCM increases production of the ACE2 RNA transcript and the translated ACE2 protein.

The elevated expression of ACE2 makes it easier for the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, to launch its attack within the human body. This is because SARS-CoV-2 is known to hijack ACE2 receptors to gain entry into cells. 

The virus not only invades the body through ACE2 receptors, but also holds the ACE2 protein captive. As a result, an important signaling pathway is silenced that normally helps to regulate vascular function.

The Mayo Clinic researchers analyzed frozen samples of heart muscle tissue from more than 100 patients who had surgery for obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The control group consisted of heart tissue from 39 healthy donor hearts.

Study senior author Dr. Michael Ackerman is director of the Windland Smith Rice Sudden Death Genomics Laboratory at Mayo Clinic.

"Of all the RNA transcripts in the entire human genome, our research revealed that the single most upregulated RNA transcript in the heart muscle was ACE2," said Dr. Ackerman. 

"In fact, we confirmed a fivefold increase in ACE2 protein levels in the heart muscle of these patients with obstructive HCM." 

This could connect the dots and potentially explain why patients with certain heart diseases might fare worse with COVID-19."

Next, the team will analyze heart tissue from patients who have died from hypertension and other heart diseases to look for elevated ACE2 levels. Lung tissue from COVID-19 victims also could be analyzed to see if ACE2 levels are elevated. 

"This discovery provides another reason for patients taking angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers to stay on their heart medications, as recommended by all major cardiac societies," said Dr. Ackerman. "Removing these medications in a patient whose heart has elevated protein levels of ACE2 could cause even more tissue damage."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/">Mayo Clinic Proceedings</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Some types of heart disease increase COVID-19 risk

Some types of heart disease increase COVID-19 risk. While it...

A new injection system may be the first step in saving <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/sensors-monitor-the-health-of-plants-by-interpreting-distress-signals/">plants</a> that are ravaged by life-threatening diseases. A team of experts at the <a href="http://Mit.edu">Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> has developed a method for safely administering drugs and nutrients to specific plant regions. 

Crops such as bananas and citrus fruits are severely threatened by diseases that attack their circulatory system. With a lack of precision tools available, these diseases often go undetected and untreated. 

The MIT team analyzed the fundamental basis of precision medicine for humans and adapted these principles to engineer plant-specific biomaterials and drug-delivery devices.

Professor Benedetto Marelli explained that the research was initiated in response to a request from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for ideas on how to address the citrus greening crisis, which is threatening the collapse of a $9 billion industry. 

The citrus greening disease is caused by an insect called the Asian citrus psyllid. Millions of acres of orchards have already been destroyed across the United States, and there is currently no cure for the disease. 

A research team led by graduate student Yunteng Cao set out to work on a solution in Professor Marelli's lab. 

The citrus greening disease infects the phloem of the whole plant, including the roots, which are very difficult to reach with any conventional treatment, explained Professor Marelli. Most pesticides do not sufficiently penetrate the root system. 

The experts set out to design an injection system that could target the phloem circulating through a plant's tissues to carry an antibacterial compound down into the roots. 

"We wanted to solve the technical problem of how you can have a precise access to the plant vasculature," said Cao. 

The researchers designed an injection system comprised of microneedles, which they call phyto-injectors, that are made with a silk-based biomaterial. The needles can be constructed in a variety of sizes and shapes to deliver material to specific areas, such as the roots, stems, leaves, or vascular tissue.

The team successfully demonstrated the new injection system on tomato and tobacco plants, and the technology can be adapted to work with almost any crop. The microneedles not only deliver targeted molecules into the plants, but can also retrieve samples for lab analysis.

"We think this is a new tool that can be used by plant biologists and bioengineers to better understand transport phenomena in plants," said Cao. He said the tool can also be used "to deliver payloads into plants, and this can solve several problems. For example, you can think about delivering micronutrients, or you can think about delivering genes, to change the gene expression of the plant or to basically engineer a plant."

The team will continue to refine the system to make it compatible with different kinds of plants and their tissues. "There's a lot of variation among them, really, so you need to think about having devices that are plant-specific," said Professor Marelli. "For the future, our research interests will go beyond antibiotic delivery to genetic engineering and point-of-care diagnostics based on metabolite sampling."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/21983844">Advanced 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;

Plant injection system could rescue crops from deadly diseases

A new injection system may be the first step in...

Experts at <a href="http://med.stanford.edu/">Stanford Medicine</a> have identified a biological marker in infants that can be used to predict autism. In a small study of 33 babies, the researchers found that the hormone vasopressin was not as abundant in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of infants who were later diagnosed with <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/exercise-brain-connections-autism/">autism</a>. 

Study co-senior author Dr. Karen Parker is an associate professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. 

"When young children aren't appropriately processing basic social stimuli early in life, it puts their brains on a different developmental trajectory," said Dr. Parker. 

Autism is a developmental disorder characterized by poorly developed social skills, sensory issues, repetitive behavior patterns, and restricted interests. 

There are ways to test for autism in children as young as two, but a shortage of autism specialists often delays diagnosis until age four or later. This means that many children are missing out on the benefits of early treatment. 

"If we could identify these children earlier, we could intervene earlier," said Dr. Parker.

Among male mammals, the protein hormone vasopressin affects social behaviors such as pair-bonding and fathering. 

The Stanford study suggests that vasopressin plays an important role in autism. The team had found previously that CSF levels of vasopressin are lower in children and teens with autism, and that individuals with the lowest CSF vasopressin levels had the most severe autism symptoms. 

Dr. Parker's team also demonstrated that administering vasopressin to kids with autism improves their social ability.

The current study was focused on a rare collection of cerebrospinal fluid samples from small babies. When infants under three months old develop a fever, doctors usually collect a CSF sample to rule out brain infections. The Stanford researchers used leftover CSF that had been frozen for subsequent research purposes.

The researchers found significantly lower CSF vasopressin levels in infants who were later diagnosed with autism. Individual vasopressin levels correctly predicted which children would develop autism in seven of the nine autism cases. 

Dr. Parker said the findings need to be replicated in a larger group. Her team would like to study CSF samples from children with other disorders to determine whether low CSF vasopressin is specific to autism. 

Prior research has found that babies who later develop autism do not show behavioral symptoms early in life. This indicates there is a window of time before symptoms first appear when behavioral therapies could be maximally effective, explained Dr. Parker.

"If we could intervene when kids still look at faces, smile and respond to their names, that could potentially change the trajectory of the disorder."

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the Natural 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;

Biomarker found in babies that may predict autism

Experts at Stanford Medicine have identified a biological marker in...

Changing ocean conditions threaten the health of whales. A new study has identified a strong correlation between the health of gray whales and changing ocean conditions. Resident gray <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/humpback-whales-sing/">whales</a> along the coast of Oregon were found to shrink in body size when poor ocean upwelling shifted the availability of their prey.

For three years, experts with the Marine Mammal Institute at <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/">Oregon State University</a> (OSU) used drones to monitor 171 whales during the foraging season between June and October.

The team discovered that the health of the whales declined following a period of poor upwelling, which is an ocean process that brings colder, nutrient-rich water closer to the surface. The poor upwelling likely diminished the availability of zooplankton, the gray whales' primary food source. 

"What we see is this compelling relationship between the oceanographic processes that control the quality and quantity of available prey and whale health," said Professor Leigh Torres. "This research gives us an inclination that changes in ocean conditions might be causing skinny whales."

The findings may also provide insight into the unusual gray whale die-off event that occurred in 2019 on the Pacific Coast, explained Professor Torres. 

Along the Pacific coast of North America between Mexico and Alaska, more than 200 gray whales turned up dead. The body condition of most of the stranded whales indicated they had died of starvation, but scientists were not sure why.

"With this research, we're trying to understand more about the health of the whales and how it varies throughout the foraging season and from year to year," said study lead author Leila Soledade Lemos. "Once we establish a baseline for whale body condition, we can start to see what is healthy and what is not and why."

The research team used drone images and fecal samples to conduct "health check-ups" on the whales in 2016, 2017, and 2018. The images allowed the experts to calculate the Body Area Index (BAI) of the whales, which is similar to the Body Mass Index (BMI) in humans. The fecal samples helped the researchers determine a whale's sex, hormones, and diet.

"The first year the whales looked really fat and healthy. But after 2016, the whales were really skinny. You could see their skeletons," said Lemos. "For these whales, body condition is strongly related to food availability. It is also related to when they invest in reproduction."

The researchers documented nine pairs of mothers and calves in 2016, but only one pair in the two years following. Calves and pregnant females had the highest BAI numbers, while lactating females had the lowest BAI and the worst body condition. 

Overall, the health of the gray whales deteriorated after poor upwelling conditions began in 2016. "There was a one-year lag, or carry-over, between the lack of prey in 2016 and the whales' body condition the next year," said Professor Torres.

The researchers now have four years of data on Oregon's summer resident whales and will continue monitoring them to investigate how their health is connected to changing ocean conditions. Professor Torres said the research highlights the value of monitoring whale health over time.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/21508925">Ecosphere</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;

Changing ocean conditions threaten the health of whales

Changing ocean conditions threaten the health of whales. A new...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">University of British Columbia</a> is the first of its kind to demonstrate that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/common-soil-fungus-protects-corn-crops-from-pests-and-boosts-growth/">soil</a> can trigger clotting to control bleeding in a wound. The study revealed that soil silicates, which make up the majority of the Earth's crust, initiate the blood clotting process.

The researchers found that the presence of soil in a wound activates the blood protein coagulation Factor XII. Once this protein is activated, it launches a series of events that plug and seal the wound to limit blood loss.

Study senior author Professor Christian Kastrup is a scientist in UBC's Michael Smith Laboratories and Centre for Blood Research.

"Soil is not simply our matrix for growing food and for building materials. Here we discovered that soil can actually help control bleeding after injury by triggering clotting," said Professor Kastrup.

The research team emphasized that there is a high risk of infection from unsterilized dirt, but that the findings have implications for the development of new strategies to help manage bleeding with sterilized dirt.

"Excessive bleeding is responsible for up to 40 percent of mortality in trauma patients," said Professor Kastrup. "In extreme cases and in remote areas without access to healthcare and wound sealing products, like sponges and sealants, sterilized soil could potentially be used to stem deadly bleeding following injuries."

The researchers also discovered that the mechanism used by soil silicates to activate Factor XII and promote faster clotting is unique to terrestrial mammals.

"This finding demonstrates how terrestrial mammals, ranging from mice to humans, evolved to naturally use silicates as a specific signal to Factor XII to trigger blood clotting," said study first author Lih Jiin Juang. "These results will have a profound impact on the way we view our relationship with our environment."

Next, the experts will investigate whether the response of blood to silicates helps prevent infection from microbes that are present in the soil. The team also wants to test silicates from the moon's surface to see if they  activate Factor XII.

"If moon silicates activate Factor XII, this discovery could prove useful in preventing death among people visiting or colonizing the moon, and it would provide further insight to identifying materials that may halt bleeding in very remote environments with limited resources and medical supplies," said Professor Kastrup.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://ashpublications.org/bloodadvances">Blood Advances</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;

Soil triggers clotting to control bleeding in a wound

A new study from the University of British Columbia is...

A new study from <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Penn State</a> has revealed that offering new privacy controls for Alexa is not necessarily the best way to gain consumer trust. In fact, the introduction of new <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/social-media-privacy/">privacy</a> and content settings can make some Alexa users feel less secure. 

The investigation was focused on 90 participants who interacted with Alexa through an Amazon Echo device by asking several health-related questions. Some of the users were allowed to customize their privacy controls or content settings, while others were not. 

Many participants who were given the option to adjust their privacy and content settings gained more trust in Amazon Alexa. On the other hand, users who were tech savvy became more skeptical when they were offered privacy controls. 

"That's kind of counterintuitive," said study co-author Professor S. Shyam Sundar. "The mere presence of privacy settings seems to trigger thoughts of potential privacy problems among those who are aware of such loopholes in communication technologies."

"Once you give power users these options and they realize that privacy settings are actually controllable, they tend to panic and see the between-the-lines message rather than see customization for what it is, which is really a benevolent effort to provide more user control."

The study also revealed that users who were sensitive about their privacy found content less credible when they were given control of their privacy settings. However, when the same users were also allowed to customize their content, they found it to be more trustworthy.

"It is really interesting to see that content customization, which is unrelated to privacy, alleviated the negative priming effects of adjusting privacy settings," said study lead author Eugene Cho. "The empowering effect of customization noticed in our other studies extend to smart speaker interactions and to the context of privacy."

However, the quality of content customization services could be impacted by privacy customization settings, said study co-author Professor Saeed Abdullah. This concept is similar to other artificial-intelligence algorithms that draw on user history to generate personalized content on well-known platforms, such as product suggestions on Amazon.

"For example, if you delete your user history or your audio recordings from Alexa, it might mean that the platform cannot personalize its offerings very well for you," said Professor Abdullah. "Some people might like them, as some people like to have the best recommendations from the systems. And in that case, they might not take advantage of the privacy options."

"So in other words, the differences between individuals and their perceived expectations of these systems mean that people will use privacy settings in a different way. That's why providing control is so important."

As smart speaker use is becoming more and more widespread, so are concerns about privacy infringement. The experts hope that this research will encourage designers and service providers to incorporate various content customization options to relieve privacy concerns.

"If users want the devices to function the way they're supposed to function, they are supposed to always be on," said Professor Sundar. "I feel like we've reached a point in our cultural conversation about the acceptability of having these kinds of devices in our homes, and to what extent we are comfortable."

"Our findings can help us to better design smarter, more privacy-sensitive and more trustworthy smart speakers in the future," added Abdullah.

The research was funded by the <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/">National Science Foundation</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;

Alexa privacy controls do not eliminate privacy concerns

A new study from Penn State has revealed that offering...

The systematic analysis of large datasets, also known as big data, is very effective in pinpointing what must be done to rescue our <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/carbon-is-the-basis-for-all-life-on-our-planet/">planet</a>. The insights provided by big data reveal the major causes and trends of environmental degradation, but scientists have found that we are running out of time to apply what we are learning. 

According to the authors of a new study, increased computing speeds and data storage has driven the growth of big data over the last 40 years, but the planet is still facing serious decline.

Study lead author Dr. Rebecca Runting is an expert in the School of Geography at the <a href="https://www.unimelb.edu.au/">University of Melbourne</a>. Dr. Runting explained that while we currently have an unprecedented ability to generate, store, and analyze data about the environment, these technological advances will not help the world unless they lead to action.

"Big data analyses must be closely linked to environmental policy and management," said Dr. Runting. 

"For example, many large companies already possess the methodological, technical, and computational capacity to develop solutions, so it is paramount that new developments and resources are shared timely with the government, and in the spirit of 'open data'."

Large datasets showed that from 2000 to 2012, more than two million square kīlometers of forest was lost, and marine and coastal ecosystems have experienced similar declines. The analysis of over 700,000 satellite images revealed that more than 20,000 square kilometers of tidal flats have vanished since 1984.

"In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently seeing governments making rapid (health) decisions based on fairly sophisticated data analysis," said Dr. Runting. "There may be opportunities to learn from this and achieve a similarly tight coupling of analysis and decision-making in the environmental sector."

Study co-author Professor James Watson said that big data is now capable of identifying environmental health risks worldwide using platforms like Google Earth combined with satellite tracking.

Dr. Runting noted that big data has been pivotal in quantifying spatial and temporal trends across Earth. For example, an automated tracking vessel is being used to predict illegal fishing activity in real-time.

"This has allowed governments to quickly investigate particular vessels that may be undertaking illegal fishing activity within their jurisdiction, including within Australian waters," said Dr. Runting. 

"What the big data revolution has helped us understand is the environment is often doing worse than what we thought it was," said Professor Watson. "The more we map and analyze, the more we find the state of the environment, albeit Antarctic ice sheets, wetlands, or forests, is dire. Big data tells us we are running out of time."

"The good news is the big data revolution can help us better understand risk. For example, we can use data to better understand where future ecosystem degradation will take place and where these interact with wildlife trade, so as to map pandemic risk."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</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;

Big data can help save the planet, but time is running out

The systematic analysis of large datasets, also known as big...

Italian scientists have detected the <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/can-hand-soap-kill-the-coronavirus/">coronavirus</a> in air pollution particles, according to a recent report in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk">The Guardian</a>. While the study is just in its preliminary stages, it is not the first research to suggest that air pollution may be facilitating the spread of COVID-19.

A team of experts led by Dr. Leonardo Setti at the <a href="https://www.unibo.it/en">University of Bologna</a> tested air samples collected in Bergamo province, one of Italy's hardest-hit regions.

The researchers identified a gene that is highly specific to COVID-19 in several samples, and the presence of this gene was confirmed by additional testing at an independent lab.

Dr. Setti's team also launched an investigation into how far the coronavirus can be carried through air pollution particles and whether the virus is capable of causing infection through this route. 

The results of the analysis suggest that higher levels of particle pollution may be tied to higher rates of infection in parts of northern Italy, which is a heavily-polluted region.

Even though neither of Dr. Setti's studies has been peer-reviewed, many experts agree that the potential role of air pollution in the spread of infection should be examined. 

Multiple studies found airborne SARS-Cov-2 in hospitals, and even in a department store, but it is not yet clear whether the virus can infect people through airborne aerosol transmission. 

According to the <a href="http://who.int">World Health Organization</a>, SARS-Cov-2 is primarily transmitted between people through respiratory droplets. This type of transmission occurs when a person is in close contact with an infected individual. Indirectly, the virus can be transmitted on surfaces or through objects like thermometers. 

"Airborne transmission is different from droplet transmission as it refers to the presence of microbes within droplet nuclei, which are generally considered to be particles that are less than 5 microns in diameter."

The WHO explained that in the context of COVID-19, airborne transmission may be possible in certain hospital settings. As for transmission through outdoor air, the WHO said these findings "need to be interpreted carefully."

Dr. Setti's team will continue to investigate the link between air pollution particles and COVID-19 infection.

“I am a scientist and I am worried when I don’t know,” said Dr. Setti. “If we know, we can find a solution. But if we don’t know, we can only suffer the consequences.”

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Coronavirus detected in air pollution particles

Italian scientists have detected the coronavirus in air pollution particles,...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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