For decades, scientists have puzzled over Uranus. Unlike its fellow giant planets, it seemed unusually quiet in terms of heat.



When NASA’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-pulls-another-life-saving-maneuver-for-voyager-from-15-billion-miles-away/">Voyager 2</a> spacecraft flew past the icy world in 1986, its instruments detected almost no internal warmth. That didn’t make sense. Planets the size of Uranus should still be radiating heat from their formation - so where was it?



Now, new research suggests the heat is there - just harder to detect. This new evidence helps resolve an old mystery and opens the door to better understanding not just Uranus, but how planets form, evolve, and interact with their environments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-uranus-is-still-losing-ancient-heat">Uranus is still losing ancient heat</h2>



The study comes from researchers at the <a href="https://www.uh.edu/">University of Houston</a>, working with planetary scientists across the globe. 



It draws on decades of spacecraft data and advanced computer modeling. Together, the evidence paints a clearer picture: Uranus does release more energy than it gets from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/widest-high-resolution-photo-of-the-sun-ever-captured-solar-orbiter/">Sun</a>.



“This means it’s still slowly losing leftover heat from its early history, a key piece of the puzzle that helps us understand its origins and how it has changed over time,” said first author Xinyue Wang.



The findings also line up with those from a separate team led by Professor Patrick Irwin at the University of Oxford.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-not-as-hot-as-its-neighbors">Not as hot as its neighbors</h2>



While Uranus does emit heat, it gives off far less than the other giant planets in our solar system. Jupiter, Saturn, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/auroras-captured-on-neptune-for-the-first-time-thanks-to-the-webb-telescope/">Neptune</a> all emit more than twice the energy they absorb from sunlight. Uranus emits only about 12.5 percent more.



The reason isn’t clear, but researchers believe Uranus may have a different internal structure or evolutionary history than its neighbors.



In other words, Uranus might be built differently on the inside - or it may have followed a unique evolutionary path over billions of years that shaped how it stores and releases heat.



The study also found that Uranus’s heat output varies with its seasons - and those seasons are extreme. Each one lasts around 20 years, due to the planet’s tilted spin and off-center orbit.



As Uranus makes its long journey around the Sun, its energy levels rise and fall.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-planning-future-uranus-missions">Planning future Uranus missions</h2>



Scientists aren’t just curious about Uranus for curiosity’s sake. Understanding how the planet works could directly affect the planning of future space missions.



Liming Li, also a co-author of the study, believes the findings come at the right time. NASA is gearing up for a major mission to Uranus - one that the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine ranked as a top priority for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/civilian-spacewalk-is-a-giant-leap-in-space-exploration/">space exploration</a> through 2032.



“This study could improve planning for NASA’s flagship mission to orbit and probe Uranus,” Li said.



“From a scientific perspective, this study helps us better understand Uranus and other giant planets. For future space exploration, I think it strengthens the case for a mission to Uranus,” Wang added.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-for-earth">Lessons for Earth</h2>



The research also holds lessons for Earth. The methods used - combining space data with physical models - don’t apply only to Uranus. They could be used to study heat flow on other planets, even ones outside our solar system.



“By uncovering how Uranus stores and loses heat, we gain valuable insights into the fundamental processes that shape planetary atmospheres, weather systems, and climate systems,” Li said. 



“These findings help broaden our perspective on Earth’s atmospheric system and the challenges of climate change.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-future-of-research-in-space">The future of research in space</h2>



This study isn't just about Uranus - it's a preview of where space science is headed. As tools for modeling, data collection, and observation improve, scientists are gaining new ways to study planets across the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astronomers-announce-evidence-suggesting-that-our-solar-system-has-nine-planets-again/">solar system</a> and beyond. 



The methods used to analyze Uranus’s heat could help decode the atmospheres of other ice giants, exoplanets, and even newly discovered worlds in distant systems.



NASA’s upcoming Uranus mission is just one example of how this research will shape future exploration. By combining long-term data with modern computational models, scientists are building a deeper understanding of how planets form, change, and interact with their environments.



These advances don’t just push planetary science forward - they also strengthen our ability to study climate systems, design new technologies, and prepare for the challenges of Earth’s future.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2025GL115660#https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2025GL115660">Geophysical Research Letters</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Hidden heat on Uranus changes what we know about ice giants

For decades, scientists have puzzled over Uranus. Unlike its fellow giant planets, it seemed unusually quiet in terms of heat. When NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft flew past the icy world in 1986, its instruments detected almost no internal warmth. That didn’t make sense. Planets the size of Uranus should still be radiating heat from their formation - so where was it? Now, new research suggests the heat is there - just harder to detect. This new evidence helps resolve an old mystery and opens the door to...

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

Snakes carry signs of wetland contamination in their livers

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

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

Latest climate models show more intense droughts ahead

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

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

Experts create custom-made mini livers using human skin cells

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

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

Coral reefs in New Caledonia provide hope for the future

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

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

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

Researchers at the University of Sydney have found evidence to...

The extinction rate of land vertebrates is accelerating, and the pressures of human activities are to blame. As vital ecosystem services are lost, humans will be forced to face dire consequences.

In a 2015 study, <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/">Stanford</a> Professor Paul Ehrlich and colleagues warned that Earth's sixth mass extinction was already underway. Five years later, Professor Ehrlich is reporting that the situation is even worse than what was previously described. 

The research indicates that the wildlife trade, combined with other human impacts, has wiped out hundreds of species and endangered others at an unprecedented rate.

Across the entire 20th century, around 543 land vertebrate species were pushed to extinction. The current study shows that nearly the same number of species are likely to go extinct in the next two decades alone.

According to the researchers, the cascading effects of this trend include increased threats to human health, such as COVID-19. 

"When humanity exterminates populations and species of other creatures, it is sawing off the limb on which it is sitting, destroying working parts of our own life-support system," said Professor Ehrlich.

"The conservation of endangered species should be elevated to a national and global emergency for governments and institutions, equal to climate disruption to which it is linked."

Human population growth, the wildlife trade, pollution, habit destruction, and climate change are placing an enormous amount of strain on thousands of critically endangered species worldwide. 

The loss of land vertebrates will cause ecosystems to become unstable and will weaken their ability to regulate water and air quality, pollinate crops, and to provide people with protection from natural disasters and disease.

To measure the extent of the extinction crisis, the researchers analyzed the abundance and distribution of critically endangered species. They identified 515 species of land vertebrates that are on the brink of extinction, with fewer than 1,000 individuals remaining. Half of these species have fewer than 250 individuals. 

Among the 515 endangered land vertebrate species, more than 237,000 local populations have completely vanished since 1900.

As more and more populations are wiped out, it becomes difficult for a species to serve its function in an ecosystem, which can trigger a domino effect of extinctions. 

"What we do to deal with the current extinction crisis in the next two decades will define the fate of millions of species," said study lead author Gerardo Ceballos. "We are facing our final opportunity to ensure that the many services nature provides us do not get irretrievably sabotaged."

The researchers propose a global agreement to ban the trade of wild animal species. They argue that the illegal capture or hunting of wild animals for food, pets, and medicine is a fundamental ongoing threat not only to wildlife, but also to human health. 

The experts noted that COVID-19, which is believed to have originated in bats and jumped to humans through an intermediate host in a live animal market, is an example of how the wildlife trade endangers humans. 

"It's up to us to decide what kind of a world we want to leave to coming generations - a sustainable one, or a desolate one in which the civilization we have built disintegrates rather than builds on past successes," said study co-author Peter Raven.

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Land vertebrates are vanishing at an unprecedented rate

The extinction rate of land vertebrates is accelerating, and the...

A new study from <a href="https://ucsd.edu/">UC San Diego</a> suggests that the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/what-we-observe-in-early-life-teaches-our-brain-how-to-see/">brain</a> is better at committing things to memory when it is prepared. The researchers discovered that when neurons are activated in the hippocampus, the brain's ability to form new memories is enhanced. 

The experts analyzed neuronal recordings from the brains of epilepsy patients while they were introduced to a series of words. The researchers found that if the firing rates of hippocampal neurons were already high before an individual was presented with a word, that particular word was more successfully encoded and recalled later.

According to study first author Zhisen Urgolites, the findings suggest that when hippocampal neurons are not already spiking, novel information is more likely to be poorly encoded and later forgotten.

The research also indicates that the hippocampus is equipped with a "ready-to-encode" mode that enhances memory. 

"A key question going forward is how to put our brains into 'encoding mode' when we wish to do so," said co-lead author Professor John Wixted.

"'Encoding mode' is more than simply paying attention to the task at hand. It is paying attention to encoding, which selectively ramps up activity in the part of the brain that is the most important for making new memories: the hippocampus." 

"Since we know, based on earlier research, that people can actively suppress memory formation, it might be possible for people to get their hippocampus ready to encode as well. But how one might go about doing that, we just don't know yet."

At Barrow Neurological Institute, neuronal recordings were captured from the hippocampus, amygdala, anterior cingulate, and prefrontal cortex in 34 epilepsy patients.

Experiments were designed for the patients to either see or hear a steady stream of words. The individuals were asked to indicate whether each word was new or if it was a repeat. 

The researchers calculated the average number of times a neuron fired in response to every word that was introduced. The team also documented the neuronal firing rates immediately preceding each word. 

The study revealed that the firing rate in the hippocampus approximately one second before seeing or hearing a word could reliably predict whether the participants would remember the word when it was repeated. 

"If a person's hippocampal neurons were already firing above baseline when they saw or heard a word, their brain was more likely to successfully remember that word later," said Professor Stephen Goldinger of Arizona State University.

The neuronal activity in the amygdala, anterior cingulate, and prefrontal cortex provided no indication of whether a word would be committed to memory. 

"We think new memories are created by sparse collections of active neurons, and these neurons get bundled together into a memory," said Professor Goldinger. 

"This work suggests that when a lot of neurons are already firing at high levels, the neuronal selection process during memory formation works better."

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Brain activity shows the prime time to form memories

A new study from UC San Diego suggests that the...

A new study suggests that male college students who play video games are less physically active and have poorer eating habits. The research may help to inform colleges and universities on ways to more effectively educate students about diet and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/death-marker-protein-rejuvenates-muscles-after-exercise/">exercise</a>.

Previous studies have established a link between gaming and a higher risk of excessive weight and poor diets among children, but the current study is one of the first to examine the health-related effects of video games in college students. 

"It's important to understand that video games are a risk factor for poor lifestyle habits that may contribute to poor health," said study co-author Dustin Moore of the University of New Hampshire. 

"We know that habits developed in adolescence and early adulthood can stick with people for the rest of their lives, so if we can encourage video game users to eat healthier and exercise more, we could help them live healthier without completely giving up video games."

Moore will present the research as part of Nutrition 2020 live online, a virtual meeting hosted by the <a href="https://nutrition.org/">American Society for Nutrition</a> (ASN).

The study was focused on data from the ongoing College Health and Nutrition Assessment Survey (CHANAS), which involves over 1,000 male college students between the ages 18 and 24 at the University of New Hampshire. The survey is directed by principal lecturer and research leader Dr. Jesse Stabile Morrell.

The participants were asked to report on the daily amount of time they spent playing video games and to record the food they ate three days out of the week. Meanwhile, physical activity was tracked with a pedometer.

Nearly 70 percent of participants reported at least some gaming, and more than 40 percent reported playing at least five hours per week. 

The study revealed that college men who play video games consume more saturated fat and sodium, which indicates they are eating more salty snacks than those who do not play video games.

Gamers were also found to consume fewer fruits and vegetables, and engaged in less exercise than non-gamers.

While no weight differences were observed, the researchers noted that the poor lifestyle habits associated with playing video games could contribute to excessive weight gain and chronic disease later in life.

"The video game industry is continuing to grow at a fast pace and more people are playing than ever," said Moore. "If the findings of our study are indicative of general population, increases in video game usage could translate to increases in overweight/obesity and chronic disease in the general population, which is already a big issue."

The preliminary findings will be presented at <a href="https://meeting.nutrition.org/nutrition-2020-live-online-schedule/">Nutrition 2020 live online</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Video games linked to unhealthy habits among male college students

A new study suggests that male college students who play...

Experts call for a digital approach to climate diplomacy. A major <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-cause-abrupt-shifts-in-great-britains-vegetation/">climate</a> change summit has been postponed until next year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thousands of negotiators, policymakers, researchers, journalists. and campaigners were expected to attend COP26, and it was not feasible to move the meeting online. 

The 26th Conference (COP26) of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was scheduled to be held in Glasgow this November. It was recently announced that the summit will not be held until November of 2021.

However, 2020 is a critical time for keeping up worldwide momentum and determination to mitigate climate change. This year, parties were preparing to submit strengthened climate action plans and to publish long-term decarbonization strategies.

A team of scientists from the <a href="https://www.cmcc.it/">CMCC Foundation</a>, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, and University College London (UCL) is calling for a digital solution to support climate ambition throughout 2020. The experts argue that it is time to reevaluate the way climate diplomacy works and to consider the role that digital technology can play in making the UNFCCC process transparent and accessible to everyone. 

The team suggests a "digital COP26-Part 1" as a way to complement, rather than substitute, this year's climate summit.

"If technical feasibility would not be an issue, as demonstrated by many ongoing efforts to move crowded in-person meetings online, there are many reasons why a totally digital climate summit might not be as effective as a traditional one," explained study co-author Elisa Calliari.

"Besides issues of real-time translation into the six UN languages, the digital divide between developed and developing countries could result in an additional source of power asymmetry within the UNFCCC process." 

"Moreover, a digital negotiation would ask to renounce face-to-face diplomacy, which plays an important role in building trust and fostering international cooperation." 

"Yet, after having participated to COPs for many years now, we wonder whether these mega-events are the most efficient and effective way to foster cooperation on climate action."

The team said that securing the benefits of face-to-face negotiation does not mean that all the formal announcements and side events of COPs must be postponed. 

"We suggest imagining a new format, which can maintain political momentum for climate action while ensuring participation from business, research and civil society," said study co-author Jaroslav Mysiak.

"A 'digital COP26-Part 1' can serve this purpose, as a virtual space where all the aspects that do not need to be formally negotiated by countries can be announced and discussed."

"Parties' unilateral pledges on more ambitious national climate plans and strategies to reach net zero emissions by 2050 can be announced in this virtual space, together with their climate finance commitments and initiatives to strengthen communities' resilience."

"Moreover, our proposal includes the translation into video conferences of the rich program of side-events, which characterizes COP each year."

The proposal is published in the journal <a href="http://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;

Experts call for a digital approach to climate diplomacy

Experts call for a digital approach to climate diplomacy. A...

In a new study from <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/">Stanford University</a>, experts have discovered unexpected changes in the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/plants-have-memories-they-learn-to-forget/">plant</a> hydraulic system that are associated with dry air. The research suggests that when the atmosphere is dry, plants will release more moisture than previously thought, but they will make sacrifices in the process.

How much water a plant takes in and the rate at which the water is released, or transpired, is influenced by air and soil moisture. According to the new study, global warming will shift this process more than what has been predicted.

The researchers found that current climate models do not accurately account for the extent to which plants ration water use in response to dry air.

The findings indicate that plants will lock away less water during droughts, but that plant growth and carbon intake will suffer more than previously estimated.  

"Whether plants will fare better in future droughts is a more complex question," said lead author Yanlan Liu. "But now we know plants will use less water than expected."

Study co-author Professor Mukesh Kumar noted that for agricultural crops, the findings suggest that the best available estimates of future water needs, growth, and vulnerability are likely to be incorrect when the atmosphere is dry.

The researchers looked at climate model estimates for evapotranspiration, the rate at which water is transferred from land and evaporated from plants back into the atmosphere. 

"So much of the water balance in any given ecosystem goes to evapotranspiration, it has implications for how much water is left over for water resources for people," said study co-author Professor Alexandra Konings. "It also has big effects on weather and climate."

While models usually treat this process like it is a function of soil moisture, Professor Konings said this is not realistic because vegetation responds to drought based on the amount of water inside the leaves.

There are few climate models that reliably account for the effects of both dry soil and dry air when predicting changes in evapotranspiration. 

"The models in use right now work really well if you're averaging wet and dry conditions over multiple years, but not in times of drought," said Professor Konings.

The dynamic between dry soil and dry air will become increasingly complex when combined with climate change. 

As temperatures rise, most droughts will be accompanied by relatively dry air. Professor Konings said that while future changes in soil moisture are hard to predict and will vary by region, atmospheric dryness is going to "go through the roof."

The Stanford team modeled the effects of atmospheric dryness by zeroing in on the plant's hydraulic system. 

Using widely available datasets and advanced mathematical techniques, the experts estimated evapotranspiration rates at 40 sites around the world. The data used for the analysis included records of soil texture, carbon and water vapor flows, and canopy heights.

After cross-checking their method for accuracy, the researchers compared the different model approaches to investigate changes in plant hydraulics under various conditions.

The study revealed that the most common techniques for estimating evapotranspiration fail to account for about 40 percent of the effect of dry air. The analysis also showed that the impact of dry air is most pronounced in areas where plants are not adapted to drought.

The research is published in the journal <a href="http://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;

Dry air alters the way plants respond to droughts

In a new study from Stanford University, experts have discovered...

A study from the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> is providing new insight into why fish <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/zebrafish-social-support/">shoals</a> are constantly shifting from order to disarray. The experts discovered that some individuals thrive in disorderly conditions are quicker to find food.

About one quarter of fish cluster together in groups part of the time, while half of fish use this strategy all the time. 

Shoaling fish swim loosely together, but can coordinate their movements at anytime to transform into a synchronized school of fish.

Remarkably, fish can transition from schooling back to shoaling - or back again - in a matter of seconds. 

In the Bristol study, the researchers found that certain fish perform better when there is less structure in the group. These individuals are more observant and faster at foraging when the group is in a state of disarray.

In addition, the more conformative fish benefit from following along with the chaos and exploiting the work of disorderly fish.

"We know how animals behave in collective formations, but the benefits of this are less well understood," said study lead author Dr. Hannah MacGregor.

"The findings of our study are intriguing because they reveal why swarm-like fish shoals are in a constant state of flux, as each fish vies for order or disorder to hold sway depending on the state in which they individually perform best."

"It was surprising that the unruly, more disruptive fish can have a competitive edge when it comes to foraging, since they are more alert and able to seek out new food sources which might escape the attention of others."

The study was focused on 12 groups of three-spined sticklebacks. Over the course of a month, the researchers conducted experiments to investigate how quickly fish could locate a food source that appeared suddenly and sporadically. 

The same groups were tested multiple times so that the experts could measure the performance of individual fish under both orderly and disorderly conditions. 

"The disorderly 'first responders' to the food were quickest and in the minority. It was fascinating to see not only how individual styles varied, but also that the fish generally swam in their shoals in the way that was most advantageous for themselves," said Dr. MacGregor.

"Those that thrived in disorder tended to swim less aligned to their neighbors, suggesting they may try to disrupt the shoal in case more food appears."

When fish strike out in a structured group, they have the advantage of sharing information about the location of food. Fish that rely more on this strategy benefit from a highly organized formation that effectively transmits information. 

However, the study revealed that some fish are gifted with the ability to detect food on their own with no input from their shoal mates. 

These individuals perform better without the constraints of an organized group that moves in the same direction while forgaing. 

"Highly organized shoals offer better access to social information and protection from predators. But our research indicated that orderly group behavior may not always be a good thing when foraging if you are a fish that is very good at obtaining your own 'private' information about new food resources," said Dr. MacGregor.

"Conflict between individuals over the preferred organization of the group could explain why shoals of fish spontaneously transition between orderly and disorderly collective behavior, as they swim to their different strengths."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Some fish thrive in chaos, and it gives them the upper hand

A study from the University of Bristol is providing new...

Research from the <a href="https://www.shh.mpg.de/en">Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History</a> has demonstrated that when young <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-is-changing-where-migratory-birds-breed/">birds</a> are nurtured by their parents for extended time periods, they become more intelligent and better equipped for survival. 

The study places new emphasis on the critical role of parents in the evolution of intelligence. Like birds, children need a supportive environment that helps brain development reach its fullest potential.

While observing two species of birds in their natural habitats, the team investigated the influence of parenting on learning in adolescence and survival in adulthood.

At a study site in Sweden, the researchers observed Siberian jays. The young jays live in family groups for up to four years under the care of a breeding pair. 

Using a field test, the experts discovered that birds who stayed with their parents longer were able to learn faster. As a result, they were more intelligent, better equipped for long-term survival, and more likely to start their own family.

The experts also observed New Caledonian crows in the wild to understand how the young birds learn to make tools for food retrieval, which takes about a year.

The researchers found that Caledonian crows can stay with their parents for up to three years - a childhood that is much longer than that of most other crows. 

The team noted that parents and other adults were extremely patient with young crows. While adults used a tool to get food, they fed the juveniles and let them watch closely. The crows even tolerated tool theft and physical contact by juveniles. 

According to the researchers, this tolerant learning environment is responsible for the large brain size and intelligence of New Caledonian crows.

The study authors argue that the influence of parenting on the evolution of cognition has been overlooked. Parental care gives children the time and opportunity to make mistakes and learn from them. 

"Extended parenting has profound consequences for learning and intelligence," explained study co-author Michael Griesser. 

"Learning opportunities arise from the interplay between extended childhood and extended parenting. The safe haven provided by extended parenting is critical for learning opportunities. It creates extended developmental periods that feed back into the extended childhood."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rstb">Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Parents play a crucial role in the evolution of intelligence

Research from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of...

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.



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="iuA5mpp3jv-1641775-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="iuA5mpp3jv-1641775-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Carl...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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?

[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0dEcERCq61-2283382-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="0dEcERCq61-2283382-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Stowers...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"]</div>



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)



---



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"

[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"] Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected...

News coming your way