At first glance, the Orion Nebula Cluster, the Pleiades, and the Hyades appear to be separate star groups, scattered across different parts of the night sky. Their distinct locations and appearances make it easy to assume they have no connection to one another.



However, new research suggests that these well-known star clusters might be more than neighbors - they might be snapshots of the same system, seen at different stages in life.



This surprising connection comes from scientists at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences (IASBS) in Iran and the <a href="https://www.uni-bonn.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bonn</a> in Germany. 



The study shows that the Orion Nebula Cluster, the Pleiades, and the Hyades likely formed from the same original star system. The findings are changing how we think about star formation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-star-clusters-at-different-life-stages">Star clusters at different life stages</h2>



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-stars-shape-planetary-systems-like-ours-with-ultraviolet-radiation/">Orion Nebula</a> Cluster (ONC) is the youngest of the trio - just 2.5 million years old. It’s also the most active, filled with thousands of young stars and surrounded by the gas cloud that birthed them. 



You can spot it in Orion’s Sword, although it looks like just one bright “star” to the naked eye.



Then there’s the Pleiades - visible as a tight knot of stars nearby in the sky. At 100 million years old, its stars are more spread out, having had time to drift away from each other.



Finally, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hyades-star-cluster-may-contain-the-closest-black-holes-to-earth/">Hyades</a> is around 700 million years old. Its stars are far more scattered and fewer in number.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-snapshots-of-an-evolving-star-system">Snapshots of an evolving star system</h2>



Despite their different ages and distances, scientists believe these three clusters are linked. 



“Our highly precise stellar dynamics calculations have now shown that all three star clusters originated from the same predecessor,” said study co-author Dr. Pavel Kroupa.



“The Orion Nebula, Pleiades and Hyades are like three different photos of the same person. These three photos show this entity at different ages: as a baby, adolescent and elderly.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-star-clusters-follow-a-growth-pattern">Star clusters follow a growth pattern</h2>



This discovery isn’t just poetic - it’s pointing to something deeper about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fluffy-molecular-clouds-may-change-our-understanding-of-star-formation/">how stars form</a>. According to the researchers, open star clusters might follow a consistent pattern in their development, regardless of the specific molecular cloud that births them.



“It is a bit like if the same person was being born over and over again,” said Dr. Kroupa. “From this we can learn that open <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stunning-star-clusters-captured-in-the-extreme-outskirts-of-the-milky-way/">star</a> clusters seem to have a preferred mode of star formation.”



“It appears that there is a preferred physical environment in which stars form when they evolve within these clouds.”



To test this idea, Dr. Ghasem Safaei and his team at the <a href="https://iasbs.ac.ir/">IASBS</a> used powerful computer simulations.



The experts modeled how a dense, young cluster like Orion could naturally transform into the more spread-out Pleiades, and then into the elderly Hyades, over hundreds of millions of years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-millions-of-years-of-star-life">Millions of years of star life</h2>



The simulations were based on careful calculations of how the stars interact with each other and with their environment. Over time, a cluster loses stars and gas due to gravitational forces, both internal and external.



“This research shows that it is entirely plausible that star clusters such as the Orion Nebula Cluster follow a development path that transforms them into systems like Pleiades and later on Hyades,” said study co-author Professor Hosein Haghi.



The models ran for 800 million years and started with the latest real-world data - high star density, compact shapes, and a high number of double stars. 



“The results show that clusters such as the Orion Nebula Cluster can lose up to 85 percent of their stars but nevertheless retain a coherent structure similar to Hyades, after they have passed through an intermediate stage similar to Pleiades,” said Dr. Safaei.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-star-clusters-with-a-common-origin">Star clusters with a common origin</h2>



What makes this even more intriguing is the fact that all three clusters sit in roughly the same region of the night sky. For decades, astronomers have wondered if this is just a coincidence or something more.



The team believes this alignment supports the idea that they share a common origin. It could reflect how these clusters form and evolve in the same part of our galaxy, influenced by similar conditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-stellar-story-in-motion">A stellar story in motion</h2>



Understanding these connections also helps astronomers grasp how internal and external forces shape a star cluster’s fate.



“This research gives us a deeper understanding of how star clusters form and develop and illustrates the delicate balance between internal dynamics and external forces such as the gravitational pull of the Milky Way,” said study co-author Professor Akram Hasani Zonoozi.



The research doesn’t just reveal how one star cluster ages. It shows how theory and observation can work hand-in-hand to reconstruct a cosmic story billions of years in the making. 



As researchers refine these models, they may unlock similar patterns in other parts of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cozmic-simulations-of-milky-way-use-strange-physics-laws-to-study-alternate-universes-cozmic/">Milky Way</a> - and perhaps even beyond.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article/541/2/1753/8202867" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society</a>.



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Trio of star clusters may be the same system at different ages

At first glance, the Orion Nebula Cluster, the Pleiades, and the Hyades appear to be separate star groups, scattered across different parts of the night sky. Their distinct locations and appearances make it easy to assume they have no connection to one another. However, new research suggests that these well-known star clusters might be more than neighbors - they might be snapshots of the same system, seen at different stages in life. This surprising connection comes from scientists at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences...

Beavers are plowing their way through the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/ocean-acidification-will-be-worse-than-expected-in-the-arctic/">Arctic</a> and rapidly transforming landscapes, and a new study suggests that the changes could have major consequences. 

In Alaska, climate change has greatly expanded the range of suitable habitat for beavers, and they are now appearing in regions where they have never been seen before. The beavers are building more and more dams and subsequently creating new ponds and lakes.

According to the researchers, the rapidly emerging water bodies will accelerate the rate of thawing permafrost, which will release more greenhouse gases and intensify climate change in a reinforcing feedback loop. 

The beavers build their dams at precise locations where they can achieve maximum benefits with minimal effort. Study co-author Dr. Ingmar Nitze has witnessed this strategy firsthand, and said the methods used by the animals are extremely effective.

Dr. Nitze is an expert in remote sensing at the <a href="https://www.awi.de/en.html">Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research</a> (AWI). In 2018, he was involved in research focused on beavers in northwest Alaska. The study revealed that beavers had created 56 new lakes in just five years. For the current investigation, the team has taken a closer look by tracking beaver activity with satellite data in two other regions of Alaska.

"Of course, we knew that the beavers there had spread substantially over the last few decades," said Dr. Nitze. "But we never would have dreamed they would seize the opportunity so intensively."

Across roughly 100 square kilometers near the town of Kotzebue, the number of dams had jumped from just two in 2002 to 98 by 2019. "We're seeing exponential growth there. The number of these structures doubles roughly every four years."

The researchers found that beavers intentionally build in areas that they can most easily flood by damming up small streams or the outlets of existing lakes. 

"But they especially prefer drained lake basins," noted study lead author Benjamin Jones."The animals have intuitively found that damming the outlet drainage channels at the sites of former lakes is an efficient way to create habitat. So a new lake is formed which degrades ice-rich permafrost in the basin, adding to the effect of increasing the depth of the engineered waterbody." 

In 17 years, water in the Kotzebue region grew by 8.3 percent - roughly two-thirds of which was driven by the expansion of dams.

The researchers believe that there have been similar spikes in dams throughout other regions of the Arctic, like Canada, and they will continue to investigate. 

Each additional lake thaws the surrounding permafrost. Even though the soil could potentially refreeze in the future, the climate is still warming, and for now the beavers will continue to expand.

"Anyone who wants to predict the future of the permafrost should be sure to keep the beaver in mind," said Dr. Nitze.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/journal/1748-9326">Environmental Research Letters</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Beavers are exposing the Arctic to harsher climate changes 

Beavers are plowing their way through the Arctic and rapidly...

Recently, salt marshes are gaining more recognition as important natural <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/urgent-action-preparing-climate-change/">resources</a> for coastal protection, but a new study shows that their value has been evident for centuries.  

Scientists led by the <a href="https://www.nioz.nl/en">Royal Netherland Institute for Sea Research</a> investigated the performance of salt marshes during two flooding disasters of the past. They found that these wetlands provide more critical coastline defense during major storms than what was previously realized. 

Coastal wetlands like marshes can be engineered to help buffer the effects of climate change, but it has remained unclear whether they contribute a significant level of protection during real-world storms. 

"Evidence from two notorious flood disasters that killed thousands of people after dike breaching: 1717 Christmas flood and 1953 North Sea flood, however, show that salt marshes have already displayed their role of 'flood fighter' for hundreds of years," said study lead author Zhenchang Zhu.

The researchers found that salt marshes reduced the extent of dike breaches during the 1717 flood. In 1953, marshes served not only as "wave absorbers" to ease the strain on the dikes, but also as "flood fighters" that actually lowered the flood depth. 

"Salt marshes not only reduced the number and total width of dike breaches during the 1717 Christmas flood, but also confined the breach depth during the 1953 North Sea flood. Especially the latter, previously unknown function of natural defenses, can greatly reduce flood damage by lowering inundation depth," said Zhu.

"Flood defenses combining green and gray features are actually more beneficial than considered earlier. Beyond wave attenuation, salt marshes can lower flood impacts simply by limiting the size of dike breach, and continues to do so under sea level rise."

The findings suggest that the protective value of salt marshes is not limited to wave-exposed locations. Even where they are not needed for wave reduction, salt marshes will be helpful for flood protection and sea-level rise mitigation.

"Overall this research enables novel designs of nature-based coastal defenses by smartly harnessing different natural flood defense functions," said Zhu.

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;

Salt marshes have reduced coastal flooding for centuries

Recently, salt marshes are gaining more recognition as important natural...

A new study from <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">UC Davis</a> has revealed that raw milk found in U.S. stores may be a source of antimicrobial resistance. The experts report that unpasteurized milk left at room temperature can harbor a shockingly high number of antimicrobial-resistant genes. 

Furthermore, the research showed that bacteria containing antimicrobial-resistant genes can transfer them to other bacteria, potentially spreading resistance.

"We don't want to scare people, we want to educate them. If you want to keep drinking raw milk, keep it in your refrigerator to minimize the risk of it developing bacteria with antibiotic-resistant genes," said study lead author Jinxin Liu.

Unpasteurized milk is often endorsed as having an abundance of probiotics, or healthy bacteria, compared to pasteurized milk. However, the researchers discovered that this is not the case. 

"Two things surprised us. We didn't find large quantities of beneficial bacteria in the raw milk samples, and if you leave raw milk at room temperature, it creates dramatically more antimicrobial-resistant genes than pasteurized milk," explained Liu.

When antimicrobial-resistant genes are passed to pathogens, they have the potential to become "superbugs" that resist treatment. According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly three million people get an antibiotic-resistant infection each year, resulting in more than 35,000 deaths. 

The UC Davis team analyzed over 2,000 pasteurized and raw milk samples from retail stores in five states. Raw milk was found to contain the highest prevalence of antibiotic-resistant microbes when left at room temperature.

"Our study shows that with any temperature abuse in raw milk, whether intentional or not, it can grow these bacteria with antimicrobial resistance genes," said study co-author Michele Jay-Russell. "It's not just going to spoil. It's really high risk if not handled correctly."

Some people are using clabbered milk, which has been left out at room temperature to ferment, for various recipes. Study co-author David Mills said that when consumers eat raw milk clabber, they are likely adding a high number of antimicrobial-resistant genes to their gut.

"You could just be flooding your gastrointestinal tract with these genes," said Mills. "We don't live in an antibiotic-free world anymore. These genes are everywhere, and we need to do everything we can to stop that flow into our bodies."

Mills recommends that consumers use a starter culture if they want to ferment raw milk, which carries specific strains of bacteria to inoculate the milk. Further research is needed to fully understand the health risks for humans associated with antibiotic-resistant genes in raw milk. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://microbiomejournal.biomedcentral.com/">Microbiome</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Raw milk may be harmful to human health       

A new study from UC Davis has revealed that raw...

During the Chinese Lunar New Year of 2020, China was in a state of lockdown in an effort to contain the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/bacteriophages-could-reduce-covid-19-deaths/">COVID-19</a> outbreak. Human activities slowed, and China's emissions dropped dramatically. Meanwhile, however, a severe haze with high concentrations of fine particulate matter appeared over Eastern China. 

A new study published by <a href="https://www.wiley.com/en-us">Wiley</a> suggests that the mysterious pollution is linked to the interactions of secondary aerosols with long-range transport. 

On January 23, 2020, the government in central China imposed a lockdown across Hubei province including Wuhan, the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak. One week later, the World Health Organization declared that the new coronavirus was a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). 

Unfortunately, the travel restrictions came a little too late in Hubei province. The coronavirus outbreak coincided with the country's Spring Festival, and it is estimated that about 5 million people left Wuhan - a major transportation hub - during the travel rush just before the shutdown.

With the virus spreading, all local governments responded and enforced restrictions. Studies estimate that during lockdowns, energy production was reduced by a third and transportation decreased by more than 70 percent. As CO2 emissions dropped drastically, experts were puzzled by the appearance of a thick haze over Eastern China. The concentrations of fine particle pollution more than doubled in this region during the New Year Holiday (NYH-20) and the COVID‐19 outbreak.

To investigate, a team of researchers including Professor Yunhua Chang and Professor Ru-Jin Huang analyzed the presence of aerosols at an urban site in Shanghai before, during, and after the New Year Holiday in 2019 and 2020.

"We compared the chemical composition and formation processes of the aerosols, as well as meteorological conditions, between the two periods in order to gain clues on the haze event puzzle in NYH‐20," wrote the study authors. 

The analysis revealed that the persistent haze during the COVID-19 pandemic was likely caused by secondary aerosol formation that interacts with long-range transport.

"We show that particulate nitrate formation can be largely enhanced during lasting regional transport, suggesting that differential transport patterns, rather than local emissions, may be responsible for fluctuations in aerosol concentrations," wrote the researchers. 

"The results of this study highlight that regional joint management efforts and control strategies are required to effectively clear China's air."

Professor Chang said the team hopes the findings will inform future regulatory policies to mitigate China's haze-associated problems.

"Additional studies are needed to pinpoint the role of atmospheric oxidation capacity - which is affected by emission reductions of air pollutants - in the formation of secondary aerosols," said Dr. Huang.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19448007">Geophysical Research Letters</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Cause of mysterious air pollution in Eastern China identified 

During the Chinese Lunar New Year of 2020, China was...

The results of a decade-long investigation suggest that methane emissions from natural resources will be higher than predicted. According to the study, global warming is shifting the balance of the microbial communities that regulate methane within <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/artificial-skyglow-poses-major-threat-to-coastal-ecosystems/">ecosystems</a>.

Two types of microorganisms are responsible for the production and removal of methane. Methanogens naturally produce methane, while methanotrophs convert it into carbon dioxide. 

Past studies have found evidence that these processes will respond to global warming differently. 

For the current study, researchers conducted experiments in artificial ponds for 11 years to examine how freshwater microbial communities respond to rising temperatures.

The team found that global warming increased methane production, but not methane removal. The disproportionate effects led to higher methane emissions that have not been identified in previous studies that focused on temperatures alone.

Study co-author Mark Trimmer is a professor of Biogeochemistry at <a href="https://www.qmul.ac.uk/">Queen Mary University of London</a>.

"Our observations show that the increase in methane emissions we see is beyond what you could predict based on a simple physiological response to the temperature increase," said Professor Trimmer. 

"Long-term warming also changes the balance in the methane-related microbial community within freshwater ecosystems so they produce more methane while proportionately less is oxidized to carbon dioxide." 

"As methane is a far more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, together these effects increase the global warming potential of the carbon gases released from these ecosystems."

The research team also conducted a meta-analysis of published data on methane emissions from wetlands, forests, and grasslands worldwide. The analysis confirmed that ecosystems produce a disproportionate amount of methane in response to warming, resulting in a higher rate of emissions.

"Our findings fit with what we see in the real world for a wider variety of ecosystems," said Professor Trimmer. "Together these results suggest that as Earth temperatures increase through global warming, natural ecosystems will continually release more methane into the atmosphere."

Over a 100-year period, methane has about 28 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide. At least 40 percent of methane is released from freshwaters such as wetlands, lakes, and rivers.

Study co-author Dr. Kevin Purdy is an associate professor of Microbial Ecology at the University of Warwick. 

"Our studies have led to a better understanding of how global warming can affect methane emissions from freshwaters," said Dr. Purdy. "This means that future predictions of methane emissions need to take into account how ecosystems and their resident microbial communities will change as the planet warms."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate/">Nature Climate Change</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Natural methane emissions rise in warmer temperatures

The results of a decade-long investigation suggest that methane emissions...

Patients with weakened immune systems have a higher risk of developing the most severe and life-threatening complications of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/nanosponges-inhibit-covid-19-by-protecting-healthy-cells/">COVID-19</a>. One recent <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30566-3/fulltext?luicode=10000011&amp;lfid=231522type%3D1%26t%3D10%26q%3D%23%E6%8A%97%E5%87%BB%E6%96%B0%E5%9E%8B%E8%82%BA%E7%82%8E%E7%AC%AC%E4%B8%80%E7%BA%BF%23&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelancet.com%2Flancet%2Farticle%2FS0140-6736%2820%2930566-3">study</a> showed that about half of COVID-19 deaths are caused by secondary infections such as bacterial pneumonia and sepsis. 

Dr. Marcin Wojewodzic, a researcher at the <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/">University of Birmingham</a>, reports that viruses known as bacteriophages have the potential to control dangerous bacterial infections.

Bacteriophages can infect and kill pathogens without harming human cells or beneficial bacteria. The viruses may ultimately be used as a safer alternative to antibiotic treatments.

Dr. Wojewodzic proposes two strategies for using bacteriophages to treat bacterial infections in COVID-19 patients. First, bacteriophages could target secondary bacterial infections in the patients' respiratory systems. The viruses would reduce the spread of harmful bacteria, allowing the immune system to focus on producing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2.

"By introducing bacteriophages, it may be possible to buy precious time for the patients' immune systems and it also offers a different, or complementary strategy to the standard antibiotic therapies," said Dr. Wojewodzic.

"If this strategy works, it will hopefully buy time to enable a patient to produce their own specific antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus and thus reduce the damage caused by an excessive immunological reaction."

Professor Martha R.J. Clokie is the Editor-in-Chief of the journal which published the systematic review. 

"In the same way that we are used to the concept of 'friendly bacteria' we can harness 'friendly viruses' or 'phages' to help us target and kill secondary bacterial infections caused by a weakened immune system following viral attack from viruses such as COVID-19," said Professor Clokie.

In the second treatment strategy, Dr. Wojewodzic suggests that synthetically altered bacteriophages could be used to manufacture antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. These antibodies could be produced rapidly and inexpensively in the form of nasal or oral spray. Dr. Wojewodzic is calling for clinical trials to test the proposed treatment methods.

"This pandemic has shown us the power viruses have to cause harm. However, by using beneficial viruses as an indirect weapon against the SARS-CoV-2 virus and other pathogens, we can harness that power for a positive purpose and use it to save lives. The beauty of nature is that while it can kill us, it can also come to our rescue," said Dr. Wojewodzic.

"It's clear that no single intervention will eliminate COVID-19. In order to make progress we need to approach the problem from as many different angles and disciplines as possible."

Dr. Antal Martinecz is an expert in computational pharmacology at the Arctic University of Norway, who finds the new research extremely hopeful. 

"This is not only a different strategy to the standard antibiotic therapies but, more importantly, it is exciting news relating to the problem of bacterial resistance itself."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://home.liebertpub.com/publications/phage/652">PHAGE: Therapy, Applications, and Research</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Bacteriophages could reduce COVID-19 deaths 

Patients with weakened immune systems have a higher risk of...

In a new study led by <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/">Imperial College London</a>, scientists have developed a five-minute urine test that measures the health of a person's <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/plant-based-diets-promote-healthier-weight/">diet</a>. The technology can be used to identify the best possible diet for an individual based on his or her unique genetic makeup. 

According to the researchers, the test produces an individual's urine "fingerprint" that includes specific details on diet quality. 

Study co-author Dr. Joram Posma is a researcher in Imperial's Department of Metabolism, Digestion, and Reproduction.

"Diet is a key contributor to human health and disease, though it is notoriously difficult to measure accurately because it relies on an individual's ability to recall what and how much they ate," said Dr. Posma."For instance, asking people to track their diets through apps or diaries can often lead to inaccurate reports about what they really eat." 

"This research reveals this technology can help provide in-depth information on the quality of a person's diet, and whether it is the right type of diet for their individual biological make-up."

Prior to developing the new testing system, the experts analyzed levels of 46 different metabolites in the urine of 1,848 people in the United States. Metabolites are considered to be an objective indicator of diet quality - and are produced as different foods are digested by the body, explained the researchers.

The analysis revealed an association between the metabolites in urine and specific types of foods or nutrients in the diet. Some metabolites correlated with alcohol intake, for example, while others were linked to fructose, glucose and vitamin C. The dietary intake of red meats, chicken, and nutrients such as calcium were also related to certain metabolites. 

Furthermore, some health conditions can be identified through compounds found in urine. Formate and sodium are linked with obesity and high blood pressure.

"Through careful measurement of people's diets and collection of their urine excreted over two 24-hour periods we were able to establish links between dietary inputs and urinary output of metabolites that may help improve understanding of how our diets affect health," said study co-author Professor Paul Elliott. "Healthful diets have a different pattern of metabolites in the urine than those associated with worse health outcomes."

In a second study, the team used their findings to design a five-minute test. The results showed that the mix of metabolites in urine varies from person to person, even when they have the exact same diet.

"Our technology can provide crucial insights into how foods are processed by individuals in different ways - and can help health professionals such as dieticians provide dietary advice tailored to individual patients," said study co-author Dr. Isabel Garcia-Perez. She noted that the team now plans to use the diet analysis technology on people at risk of cardiovascular disease.

"We show here how different people metabolize the same foods in highly individual ways," explained Professor John Mathers of Newcastle University. "This has implications for understanding the development of nutrition-related diseases and for more personalized dietary advice to improve public health."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natfood/">Nature Food</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Urine test will help identify the best diet for each individual

In a new study led by Imperial College London, scientists...

The restoration of mountain meadows helps bird populations and other <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/minor-changes-could-improve-human-wildlife-coexistence/">wildlife</a> thrive, according to a study led by scientists at <a href="https://www.pointblue.org/">Point Blue Conservation Science</a>. 

Based on the analysis of eight years of data collected by field biologists, the researchers found that populations of many bird species increased across mountain meadows after restoration strategies successfully improved habitat conditions.

"This paper is the culmination of many years of work monitoring meadows," said study lead author Brent Campos. "And it definitely increases the amount of evidence we have that one of the most commonly used approaches is having the effects we want."

Degraded meadows and their streams can be rehabilitated using a "pond and plug" technique to restore the floodplain function. This strategy aims to elevate groundwater levels in the dry season by spreading large flows across the floodplain.

The pond and plug treatment improves water quality, soil moisture, and wetland vegetation - improvements that are extremely beneficial to birds and other wildlife. 

In the Sierra Nevada mountains, major projects are underway to restore meadows that have been degraded from overgrazing, agricultural use, and stream channel modifications. 

From 2009 to 2017, biologists sampled birds at 31 montane meadows in California that were sites of restoration projects. The study authors used the data to investigate the abundance of 12 bird species from one to 18 years after restoration. 

The researchers also analyzed the amount of deciduous shrubs and trees, which is an indicator of bird habitat quality, and assessed the effectiveness of the restoration techniques that were used.

The study revealed that six of the twelve species increased in abundance after restoration, while the numbers of five species remained the same. The amount of deciduous trees and shrubs at a site at the time of restoration was found to be a strong predictor of bird abundance. 

According to the researchers, hydrologic measures to fill in stream channels and vegetative measures to plant shrubs and trees were both helpful in creating habitats for birds. The vegetative approach of planting trees and shrubs, including willows and cottonwoods, accelerated the positive impacts of restoration.

Study co-author Helen Loffland is a meadow bird specialist with <a href="https://www.birdpop.org/">The Institute for Bird Populations</a>.

"Having access to one of the longest term datasets around for bird monitoring and meadow restoration was really essential to this paper," said Loffland. "And it was heartening to see such positive responses from the birds in areas where both hydrologic and vegetative restoration measures were used."

The research will be particularly helpful for restoration practitioners who base their work on published scientific studies. 

"We know that restoration practitioners are out there trying to do the best job possible with limited funding," said Campos. "We hope that this new research will help them in their work restoring meadows' key functions of fostering biodiversity, reducing downstream flooding, purifying water, and storing carbon."

The study sites included the Perazzo Meadows, Red Clover Valley near Portola, and a restoration site in Humbug Valley, also known as Tásmam Koyóm.

"It is pretty incredible to visit the Tásmam Koyóm site, which is only 6 years out from the restoration completion and see such an abundance of birds," said study co-author Ryan Burnet. "To see so many more song sparrows or yellow warblers is really encouraging. Normally, you'd need to wait 10 or even 20 years to see a biological response like that."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/1526100x">Restoration Ecology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Restoration projects bring mountain meadows back to life

The restoration of mountain meadows helps bird populations and other...

An international team of scientists is warning about the growing threats of invasive species. According to the researchers, urgent action is required to prevent, detect, and control alien species at both local and global levels.

Invasive animals, plants, and microbes often thrive when they are introduced to new habitats where they do not occur naturally. Their presence can be extremely detrimental to the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/overconsumption-is-the-leading-cause-of-environmental-disaster/">environment</a>, economy, and human health.

Professor Petr Pyšek of the Czech Academy of Sciences is the study's co-lead author. 

"As our knowledge about invasive alien species increases, the problems associated with biological invasions are becoming clearer," said Professor Pyšek. "The threats posed by invasive alien species to our environment, our economies and our health are very serious, and getting worse. Policy makers and the public need to prioritize actions to stem invasions and their impacts."

The researchers found that the prevalence of invasive species is rapidly increasing, with more than 18,000 alien populations currently listed worldwide. 

Laura Meyerson is an associate professor of Natural Resources Science at the <a href="https://www.uri.edu/">University of Rhode Island</a>. She explained that the escalation of biological invasions can be attributed to a rise in the number and variety of pathways through which species spread, including the online trade of unusual pets and the transport of species across oceans on rafts of plastic.

The researchers said that the scale of the problem is enormous. A 2017 study reported that invasive species contribute to 25 percent of plant extinctions and 33 percent of animal extinctions. At the same time, environmental costs associated with alien species in the United States, UK, Australia, South Africa, India, and Brazil are more than $100 billion collectively.

Climate change, land-use changes, and international trade are compounding the effects of biological invasions. For example, global warming is helping alien species thrive in new regions.

The research is part of an initiative called World Scientists' Warning to Humanity: A Second Notice, which calls for urgent change to protect life on Earth. Published in 1992, the first notice was supported by 1,700 scientists who warned that humanity was on a collision course with the rest of the natural world. Now, 25 years later, the follow-up evaluation is supported by 15,000 scientists who report that we have failed to make sufficient progress. 

The study authors emphasize that biological invasions can be managed and mitigated, and point out techniques that are working around the world. In New Zealand, the introduction of stricter border controls has led to a progressive decline in the rate of fungal plant pathogens entering the country. 

Study co-lead author Professor David Richardson pointed out that countries such as Australia and New Zealand have made biosecurity a national priority. 

"South Africa has invested heavily in a massive national program focused on reducing the negative impacts of widespread invaders on ecosystem services, especially the delivery of water from catchments invaded by alien trees. But action is needed more widely at both national and international levels in order to tackle the challenges effectively."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/1469185x">Biological Reviews</a>.

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Threats posed by invasive species are "enormous"

An international team of scientists is warning about the growing...

A massive <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-truffle-industry/">dust</a> plume from the Sahara desert has drifted 5,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean and reached the Gulf Coast of the United States, covering the region in a thick haze. 

It is not unusual for Sahara dust to take flight and migrate west over long distances, but this year's dust cloud is exceptionally large. <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a> has been using satellites and other tools to track the dust plume. 

The Absorbing Aerosol Index is useful for identifying and tracking the long-range transport of smoke from wildfires, volcanic ash, and dust from desert storms. According to NASA, these aerosol particles can even be tracked over clouds and areas covered by snow and ice.

The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard Suomi NPP satellite provides a visible image, while the Ozone Mapping and Profiling Suite (OMPS) Nadir-Mapper (NM) instrument calculates aerosol values. The OMPS index detects the presence of aerosol particles as they absorb and scatter sunlight.

Colin Seftor is an atmospheric scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Based on satellite imagery, he said that on June 23 and 24 the dust plume had moved completely over Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, up through the Gulf of Mexico, and into southern Texas. 

"At that point, the situation becomes more complicated because the absorbing aerosol index signal seen further north into Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, etc., is probably a mix of dust and smoke from the numerous fires burning in the southwest U.S. You can also see that the dust traveled over Central America and out into the Eastern Pacific Ocean."

Aerosol particles can impact human health, weather conditions, and the climate. The dust will not be harmful to most people, but may cause complications for people with respiratory issues. 

The African dust plays an important ecological role, such as helping to fertilize soils in the Amazon and build beaches in the Caribbean. In addition, the dry and windy conditions associated with Saharan dust outbreaks can inhibit the formation and intensification of tropical cyclones.

"While Saharan dust transport across the ocean to the Americas is not uncommon, the size and strength of this particular event is quite unusual," said Seftor. "Also, if you look off the coast of Africa you can see yet another large cloud coming off the continent, continuing to feed the long chain of dust traveling across the Atlantic."

The Sahara dust will continue to move north and east this weekend, making its way up to the Canadian border. 

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

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NASA satellites are monitoring the Sahara dust cloud

A massive dust plume from the Sahara desert has drifted...

NASA scientists are training <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/using-supercomputers-to-combat-covid-19/">computers</a> to search for signs of life on other planets, beginning with Mars. The new intelligent systems, which can identify geochemical signatures of life in rock samples, will be deployed for the first time with the 2022 ExoMars mission. 

Victoria Da Poian of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) presented the exciting research at the <a href="https://goldschmidt.info/">Goldschmidt Conference</a>.

"This is a visionary step in space exploration. It means that over time we'll have moved from the idea that humans are involved with nearly everything in space, to the idea that computers are equipped with intelligent systems, and they are trained to make some decisions and are able to transmit in priority the most interesting or time-critical information," said Da Poian.

Eric Lyness of the GSFC the Planetary Environments Lab emphasized the need for smart instruments in planetary exploration.

"It costs a lot of time and money to send the data back to Earth which means scientists can't run as many experiments or analyze as many samples as they would like," said Lyness. "By using AI to do an initial analysis of the data after it is collected but before it is sent back to Earth, NASA can optimize what we receive, which greatly increases the scientific value of space missions."

The Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer (MOMA) is a mass spectrometer-based instrument that analyzes and identifies organic molecules in rock samples. The instrument will use these capabilities to search for past or present life on the surface and subsurface of Mars.

Preliminary testing has shown that the system can categorize a spectrum from an unknown compound with up to 94 percent accuracy and match it to samples with 87 percent accuracy, and the instrument is still being refined. 

"What we get from these unmanned missions is data, lots of it; and sending data over hundreds of millions of kilometers can be very challenging in different environments and extremely expensive; in other words, bandwidth is limited," said Da Poian. 

"We need to prioritize the volume of data we send back to Earth, but we also need to ensure that in doing that we don't throw out vital information. This has led us to begin to develop smart algorithms which can for now help the scientists with their analysis of the sample and their decision-making process regarding subsequent operations, and as a longer-term objective, algorithms that will analyze the data itself, will adjust and tune the instruments to run next operations without the ground-in-the-loop, and will transmit home only the most interesting data."

The system will transmit most of the data back to scientists here on Earth. In the future, these intelligent systems will be used in the outer solar system and will have the intelligence to decide what information to return to Earth.

"When first gathered, the data produced by the MOMA life-searching instrument is difficult to interpret. It will not shout out 'I've found life here,' but will give us probabilities which will need to be analyzed," said Lyness. 

"These results will largely tell us about the geochemistry that the instruments find. We're aiming for the system to give scientists directions, for example our system might say 'I've got 91% confidence that this sample corresponds to a real world sample and I'm 87% sure it is phospholipids, similar to a sample tested on July 24th, 2018 and here is what that data looked like.' We'll still need humans to interpret the findings, but the first filter will be the AI system."

The researchers noted that it is very expensive to send data back from Mars. "Data from a rover on Mars can cost as much as 100,000 times as much as data on your cell phone, so we need to make those bits as scientifically valuable as possible." said Lyness.

The research was presented at the virtual Goldschmidt 2020 conference. 

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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;

Intelligent systems will search for life on other planets

NASA scientists are training computers to search for signs of...

For the first time, important ocean currents have been observed in the Southern Ocean with the help of robots and scientific sensors carried by <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/leopard-seals-sharing-food/">seals</a>. These currents control the amount of heat and carbon that moves between the ocean and the atmosphere - a process that has a major influence on the global climate. 

In two separate studies from the <a href="https://www.gu.se/english">University of Gothenburg</a>, researchers used advanced technologies to collect data in the ocean surrounding Antarctic sea ice.

The ocean currents, which are too small to appear in satellite and ship-based data, were found to interact with strong storms in the Southern Ocean and with physical processes that occur under sea ice.

"Using the data collected by the seals, we're able to look at the impact these upper ocean currents have underneath the sea ice for the first time. It's a really valuable insight into what was previously completely unknown in the Southern Ocean," said Dr. Louise Biddle.

The research shows that the upper ocean currents have a significant effect on the ocean during the winter, which was assumed to be a relatively calm season.

The study revealed that when the storms subside and the winds are weak, the newly-discovered upper ocean currents start to become much more active. The energetic currents enhance the rate of ocean mixing and the transport of heat, carbon, and nutrients throughout the Southern Ocean.

"These new ocean robots, so-called gliders, which we control by satellite for months at a time, have allowed us to measure the ocean at unprecedented high resolution. The measurements have revealed strong physical linkages between the atmosphere and ocean," said Professor Sebastiaan Swart. 

"It's pretty amazing we can remotely 'steer' these robots in the most far-flung parts of the world - the ocean around Antarctica - while collecting new science data."

Collectively, the studies provide new insight into small-scale ocean processes that have global climate impacts. 

"We are excited to grow this research capability at the University of Gothenburg," said Professor Swart. "This is really a world-leading direction we should be taking to collect part of our data in marine sciences."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19448007">Geophysical Research Letters</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Unknown ocean currents discovered with the help of seals

For the first time, important ocean currents have been observed in...

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

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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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