Your heart does more than pump blood. It also broadcasts tiny timing shifts that doctors read as heart rate variability (HRV), a window into the balance of your autonomic nervous system (ANS).



A five‑month field study now suggests those shifts rise and fall with patterns in space weather.&nbsp;



"The study makes a striking correlation between people’s HRV and energetic environmental phenomena such as the electromagnetic energy from the sun, the <a href="https://www.heartmath.org/gci/gcms/live-data/gcms-magnetometer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Schumann resonance power</a>, and energy influxes coming from outside our solar system," said Rollin McCraty of the <a href="https://www.heartmath.org/">HeartMath Institute</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-solar-storms-spikes-heart-rate">Solar storms spikes heart rate</h2>



Dr. Abdullah Alabdulgader of the <a href="https://www.hziegler.com/employers/prince-sultan-cardiac-center.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Prince Sultan Cardiac Center</a> in Saudi Arabia led weekly 72‑hour ECG sessions for sixteen healthy volunteers. 



The researchers matched each session against hourly logs of solar wind speed, sunspot counts, cosmic ray flux, and local geomagnetic indices collected by NASA and <a href="https://www.sgo.fi/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Finland’s Sodankylä Observatory</a>.



"Increase in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/silent-storms-experts-identify-the-mysterious-source-of-solar-wind/">solar wind</a> intensity was correlated with increases in heart rate, which we interpret as a biological stress response," said Dr. Alabdulgader. 



When the wind strengthened, inter‑beat intervals shortened, hinting at a sympathetic spike even on calm clinical days.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heart-variability-during-solar-storms">Heart variability during solar storms</h2>



Heart rate variability is commonly split into high‑frequency, low‑frequency, and very‑low‑frequency bands. The Saudi team saw all three bands climb when cosmic ray counts, solar radio flux, and local Schumann resonance power went up.



Cosmic rays seemed especially potent. Total HRV power rose for almost 40 hours after particle counts peaked. A European <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17338964/">study</a> echoed this effect, linking higher cosmic rays to lower C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation.



Geomagnetic quiet was not always benign. A U.S. analysis of 263 cities found that disturbed fields, measured by Kp and Ap indices, coincided with increased cardiovascular deaths on the same day.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-electromagnetic-fields-and-the-heart">Electromagnetic fields and the heart</h2>



Why would charged particles millions of miles away nudge heart rhythms? One possibility is that they tweak the ionosphere, altering the ultra‑low‑frequency waves that bathe Earth’s surface.



Neuroscientists first noticed in the 1950s that the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26785376/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">primary Schumann</a> peak near 7.83 Hz matches <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3507158/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">alpha brain oscillations</a>. Modern EEG research shows brief real‑time coherence between Schumann power and cortical activity during geomagnetic spikes.



These same frequencies overlap with <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7560965/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vagal signaling</a> that drives the high‑frequency band of HRV. The Saudi dataset supports the idea that the heart, like the brain, can phase‑lock to natural electromagnetic cues.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-calm-waves-calmer-beats">Calm waves, calmer beats</h2>



Schumann power rose during thunderstorms and quiet solar intervals alike. When this occurred, participants’ heart rates slowed and parasympathetic tone strengthened. 



These results mirrored a smaller trial in Japan that recorded lower blood pressure on strong Schumann days.



Laboratory studies show that mammals and birds align circadian genes with weak radio‑frequency fields, though precise receptors remain debated.



Magnetite nanoparticles in cardiac and neural tissue may act as primary sensors, while <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10966452/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">retinal cryptochromes</a> could relay secondary signals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-solar-storms-impact-heart-health">Solar storms impact heart health</h2>



For most people, the effects are subtle, but population data suggest they are still significant. A global review conducted in 2023 showed that stronger overall geomagnetic fields were linked to slight increases in cardiovascular deaths. 



However, the horizontal part of the field appeared to have a protective effect - highlighting how geomagnetic exposure may influence health in complex ways.



Clinicians already use heart rate variability to flag autonomic imbalance in diabetes, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/meditation-can-rapidly-reduce-ptsd-without-revisiting-trauma/">PTSD</a>, and post‑infection fatigue. If space weather can tip that balance, wearable monitors might one day combine cardiology and heliophysics to time workouts, surgeries, or even trading floors.



Not every scientist is convinced. A National Institutes of Health panel recently referred to the current evidence as intriguing yet inconclusive, noting that lab replications with shielded chambers are still scarce.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-emergency-planning-for-space-weather">Emergency planning for space weather</h2>



If <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-geomagnetic-storm-reveals-earths-technological-vulnerabilities/">geomagnetic</a> factors affect heart and nervous system activity - even subtly - then hospitals and emergency services may need to adjust staffing or readiness protocols during peak solar events.



Historical data already confirm that ER visits and psychiatric admissions spike during geomagnetic disturbances. People who are at risk from arrhythmia, hypertension, or mental illness may experience the strongest effects.



Weather forecasts increasingly include space weather alerts, but medical infrastructure hasn't caught up. 



Doctors, paramedics, and health agencies could benefit from predictive models that track these environmental stressors and inform care delivery for vulnerable groups.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-research-is-needed">Further research is needed</h2>



The Saudi volunteers were young, healthy, and living at low geomagnetic latitude. We do not yet know whether patients with arrhythmias, hypertension, or pacemakers react the same way at polar latitudes where field swings are stronger.



Dose matters too. Satellites warn of major solar storms days in advance, but subtle changes within the “quiet” range may fly below meteorological forecasts while still nudging sensitive physiology.



Finally, correlation is not causation. Although animal studies shows pulsed fields can shift heart‑rate timing, the precise chain from ionospheric disturbance to vagus nerve firing remains only partially mapped.



Future studies may include networks that monitor heart rate variability across multiple locations, along with magnetometers and possibly even <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brain-mapping-research-mouse-neurons-revolutionary-advance/">genetic screening</a> for traits linked to magnetic sensitivity. 



In the meantime, the evidence suggests we should consider space weather as one more environmental factor that may influence heart health.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323016904_Long-Term_Study_of_Heart_Rate_Variability_Responses_to_Changes_in_the_Solar_and_Geomagnetic_Environment" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



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Solar storms may be messing with your heart

Your heart does more than pump blood. It also broadcasts tiny timing shifts that doctors read as heart rate variability (HRV), a window into the balance of your autonomic nervous system (ANS). A five‑month field study now suggests those shifts rise and fall with patterns in space weather.&nbsp; "The study makes a striking correlation between people’s HRV and energetic environmental phenomena such as the electromagnetic energy from the sun, the Schumann resonance power, and energy influxes coming from outside our solar system," said Rollin McCraty of the...

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/">University of Sheffield</a>, scientists have discovered why some <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/birds-with-innovative-feeding-strategies-have-an-evolutionary-advantage/">birds</a> take longer to develop. The researchers found that size, safety, and parenting are all factors that influence the speed at which a particular bird species matures.

The experts set out to understand why there is so much variation in the length of time it takes birds to develop from a fertilized egg to an independent adult.

All living creatures have to strike the balance between reproduction and survival, and they have different strategies. 

The researchers found that bird species with a "live fast die young" strategy grow up faster in order to maximize the number of offspring they can produce in a short time.

The study, which was focused on thousands of bird species, revealed that birds living and breeding in safe environments with few predators took longer to develop. This is likely because they can afford to spend longer in a vulnerable state.

The research also showed that migratory birds develop much faster, which is necessary for them to be prepared for a journey to their winter habitats at the end of the summer.

It was no surprise to find that bigger birds took longer to develop, but the experts noted that even among birds of a similar size there was variation in development times.

"The amount of time it takes for a fertilized egg to develop into a fully grown adult varies hugely across the animal kingdom," said study lead author Dr. Chris Cooney. "For instance, it takes an elephant almost 10 years to reach independence, whereas a fruit fly is fully grown after only a matter of days."

"This extraordinary diversity is also encapsulated within birds, where albatrosses can take almost a year to develop from an embryo to an independent adult, but a typical UK garden songbird takes little more than a month. We found that certain aspects of a species' lifestyle and environment are important in explaining how long they take to develop."

The study is the first of its kind to consider the significance of body size, lifestyle, and environment while explaining evolutionary differences. 

"Our study on birds gives us some clues about the type of factors that may be important in other species. However, it may be that different factors are important for determining development length in other animal groups," said study co-author Dr. Alison Wright.

"The next step is therefore to address these questions using data that covers the breadth of the animal kingdom - from fish to mammals to insects - to gain an even broader insight into the factors shaping these fundamental differences across species."

Study co-senior author Dr. Nicola Hemmings said the research may prove crucial in understanding and predicting how organisms may respond when conditions change as the climate warms and habitats are modified. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://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

&nbsp;

Why do some birds develop so much faster than others?

In a new study from the University of Sheffield, scientists...

Drinking coffee may help you maintain a healthy <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/mindfulness-training-weight-loss/">weight</a>, according to a new study from <a href="https://aru.ac.uk/">Anglia Ruskin University</a>. The researchers found that women who consume two or more cups of coffee a day have significantly lower body fat than those who do not drink coffee. 

The study was focused on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). The experts zeroed in on the relationship between the amount of coffee drank per day, total body fat percentage, and abdominal fat.

Women between the ages 20 and 44 who drank two or three cups of coffee per day had the lowest levels of abdominal fat, which was 3.4 percent lower than people who did not consume coffee. 

Women between the ages of 45 and 69 who drank four or more cups of coffee each day had 4.1 percent less abdominal fat.

The average total body fat percentage was 2.8 percent lower among women of all ages who drank two or more cups of coffee per day.

The benefits were found to be consistent regardless of the type of coffee consumed or the health status of the women. 

In addition, males between the ages of 20 and 44 who drank two or more cups of coffee per day had 1.3 percent less total fat and 1.8 percent less abdominal fat.

"Our research suggests that there may be bioactive compounds in coffee other than caffeine that regulate weight and which could potentially be used as anti-obesity compounds," said study senior author Dr. Lee Smith.

"It could be that coffee, or its effective ingredients, could be integrated into a healthy diet strategy to reduce the burden of chronic conditions related to the obesity epidemic."

"It is important to interpret the findings of this study in light of its limitations - the study was at a specific point in time so trends cannot be established. However, we don't believe that someone's weight is likely to influence their coffee consumption."

The study is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jn">Journal of Nutrition</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff

&nbsp;

Women who drink coffee have less body fat

Drinking coffee may help you maintain a healthy weight, according...

While investigating how hurricanes develop, <a href="https://www.fsu.edu/">Florida State University</a> researchers have found that even a slight atmospheric disturbance can trigger a <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/future-hurricanes-wetter-and-windier/">hurricane</a>. A better understanding of hurricane formation will help meteorologists predict these storms and give the public more time prepare for them.

"The whole motivation for this paper was that we still don't have that universal theoretical understanding of exactly how tropical cyclones form, and to really be able to forecast that storm-by-storm, it would help us to have that more solidly taken care of," said study co-author Jacob Carstens.

Existing theories on hurricane formation propose that some sort of disturbance is what sets in motion the development of a storm. To investigate how these disturbances arise, Carstens used mathematical models to project hurricane formation beginning with the simplest conditions.

"We're trying to go as bare bones as possible, looking at just how exactly clouds want to organize themselves without any of these external factors playing into it to form a tropical cyclone more efficiently," said Carstens. 

"It's a way we can further round out our broader understanding and look more purely at the actual tropical cyclones themselves rather than the surrounding environment's impact on it."

The simulations started with stable conditions, and then the researchers added a very small amount of random temperature fluctuations. 

As the thermal radiation interacted with water vapor and other factors, the simulated clouds formed into clusters that circulated through the atmosphere. 

The experts repeated the model at simulated latitudes between 0.1 degrees and 20 degrees north, a range that includes the latitudes where tropical cyclones typically form. This range also includes latitudes very close to the equator where hurricane formation is rare.

The study revealed that every simulation in latitudes between 10 and 20 degrees produced a major hurricane. The first sign of a vortex emerged well above the surface and affected its surrounding environment, giving rise to a hurricane a few days later.

A better theoretical understanding of hurricane formation will help meteorologists recognize the conditions that could trigger a storm, improving forecasts and helping people prepare for dangerous weather. 

"It's becoming ever more important in our field that we connect with emergency managers, the general population and other local officials to advise them on what they can expect, how they should prepare and what sorts of impacts are going to be heading their way," said Carstens. 

"A more robust understanding of how tropical cyclones form can help us to better forecast their location, their track and their intensity. It really goes down the line and helps us to communicate sooner as well as more efficiently and eloquently to the public that really needs it."

The study is published in the <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19422466">Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff

&nbsp;

Hurricane formation triggered by very small disturbances

While investigating how hurricanes develop, Florida State University researchers have...

Scientists at the <a href="https://stri.si.edu/">Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute</a> (STRI) have analyzed the movements of humpback <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/changing-ocean-conditions-threaten-the-health-of-gray-whales/">whales</a> to investigate their risk of ship strikes in the Magellan Strait. Located in southern Chile, the narrow strait is a popular feeding ground for the whales in the summertime and is also a busy shipping route. 

The researchers tracked and modeled the movement of 25 whales. The study revealed that, on average, each whale had a close encounter with a ship seven times per season. 

Humpback whales embark on the longest migratory journeys of any mammal. Whales in the Southern Hemisphere spend their summers in the Antarctic and Chile and their winters in the tropical Pacific waters of northern South America and Central America. 

These migrations often overlap with boat traffic, threatening potentially fatal collisions. 

Study lead author Héctor M. Guzmán previously conducted research that initiated new laws to separate vessel traffic from whale routes near the Panama Canal and in southern Costa Rica. The legislation drastically reduced collision rates.

"Designing and implementing traffic-separation schemes for Panama and Costa Rica was difficult, because any measures had to be adopted by the International Maritime Organization," said Guzmán. 

"It was achieved by having the scientific information explain the whale movements and thanks to the unconditional support of both governments."

For the current study, the researchers collected tracking data on 25 whales during different years and compared their movements with available records of ship traffic. 

The study showed that individual animals varied dramatically in how often they encountered ships, ranging from less than one to as many as 18 encounters per season.

"Studying variation among whales is a novel feature," said study co-author Richard Condit. "Other studies I know only considered the average risk of all whales, but the whales most likely to suffer in collisions are those with higher than average risk. This is a major plus of tracking individuals. During the study period, the tagged whale with the highest encounter rate was found dead."

The team found that most of the vessels exceeded the recommended speed limit near the whale feeding sites.

"The Strait humpback population increased nearly 300% in 17 years, reaching between 110 and 100 individuals in 2016 and 2017 and then gradually decreasing to 65 individuals in 2019," said study co-author Juan Capella. 

"In addition, we report the death of six humpbacks in 10 years, including one young female during our study. If we consider that half of this population is female, a single death represents 3% of the female population in full reproductive age."

The study findings allowed the scientists to come up with policy suggestions  including speed limits within the Strait of Magellan and a mandatory observer onboard all commercial vessels.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/marine-policy">Marine Policy</a>. 

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff

&nbsp;

Whales are at risk of ship strikes in the Magellan Strait

Scientists at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) have analyzed...

Dinosaurs with long legs were not built for speed. Contrary to the idea that theropods like T. Rex had long limbs for speed, a new study has found that large <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/scientists-cannot-conclusively-identify-the-sex-of-a-dinosaur/">dinosaurs</a> evolved big legs to help them conserve energy for long walks. 

Study author Thomas Holtz is a principal lecturer in the Department of Geology at the <a href="https://www.umd.edu/">University of Maryland</a>. 

"The assumption tends to be that animals with adaptations for running, such as long legs, are adapted for a higher maximum speed, but this paper shows that there's more to running than top speed," said Holtz. 

"When you're a bigger animal, those adaptations may also be for endurance and efficiency. It may be about being a marathoner rather than a sprinter."

The researchers estimated the top speeds of more than 70 theropod species based on factors such as limb proportions, size ratio, body mass, and gait. 

While theropods like T. Rex weighed as much as nine tons, there were also tiny theropods that weighed less than a pound. 

Some of the biggest theropods dominated the animal kingdom for 180 million years, and bipedalism and running speed were believed to be major contributors to their success. The current study, however, suggests otherwise. 

The researchers determined that longer legs were associated with higher top speeds in small and medium-sized dinosaurs, but this was not the case among dinosaurs weighing over 2,200 pounds. These larger dinosaurs were not any faster than those with short legs, but they moved more efficiently.

The experts calculated how much energy each dinosaur expended while walking and found that large dinosaurs with longer legs needed less energy to move around. 

"That's actually a very beneficial savings, because predators tend to spend a great deal of their time foraging, searching for prey," said Holtz. 

"If you are burning less fuel during the foraging part of the day, that's an energy savings that dinosaurs with shorter leg forms didn't get."

The findings highlight the limiting effect of large body size on running speed. The research may prompt a new investigation into what it means to be adapted for running.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS ONE</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff

&nbsp;

Dinosaurs with long legs were not built for speed

Dinosaurs with long legs were not built for speed. Contrary...

A research team led by <a href="https://www.csiro.au/">CSIRO</a> has developed <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/corals-help-their-offspring-adapt-to-climate-change/">corals</a> that have improved heat tolerance. The breakthrough could help reduce the impact of coral bleaching that is associated with marine heat waves. 

Coral reefs are believed to have the highest biodiversity of any ecosystem, supporting thousands of species of fish. In addition, more than 500 million people depend on corals for food and income.

The biggest threat to the world’s coral reefs is climate change, which is causing an increasing number of coral bleaching events. It can take decades for coral reefs to fully recover from mass bleaching, and the chances of recovery are dwindling as bleaching events become more frequent.

"Coral reefs are in decline worldwide," said Dr. Patrick Buerger. "Climate change has reduced coral cover, and surviving corals are under increasing pressure as water temperatures rise and the frequency and severity of coral bleaching events increase."

The researchers enhanced tiny cells of algae that live inside the coral tissue known as microalgal symbionts.

"Our novel approach strengthens the heat resistance of coral by manipulating its microalgae, which is a key factor in the coral's heat tolerance," said Dr. Buerger.

The team isolated microalgae and cultured them in the lab. Next, the microalgae were exposed to rising temperatures over a period of four years to gradually boost their heat tolerance.

"Once the microalgae were reintroduced into coral larvae, the newly established coral-algal symbiosis was more heat tolerant compared to the original one," explained Dr. Buerger.

The temperatures used in the lab are comparable to the marine heat waves that caused coral bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef.

"We found that the heat tolerant microalgae are better at photosynthesis and improve the heat response of the coral animal," said Professor Madeleine van Oppen.

"These exciting findings show that the microalgae and the coral are in direct communication with each other. "

"This breakthrough provides a promising and novel tool to increase the heat tolerance of corals and is a great win for Australian science," said Professor Claudia Vickers.

Next, the researchers will test the algal strains in adult colonies across a range of coral species.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff

&nbsp;

Scientists have created corals with a higher heat tolerance

A research team led by CSIRO has developed corals that...

<a href="http://www.earth.com/news/humans-brain-structure-dogs/">Dogs</a> are a bit rebellious in their teenage years and struggle with adolescence just as humans do, according to research led by Dr. Lucy Asher of <a href="https://www.ncl.ac.uk/">Newcastle University</a>.

The study is the first of its kind to find evidence of adolescent behavior in dogs. 

At the age of eight months, when they were going through puberty, dogs were found to be more likely to ignore commands given by their owner. 

The researchers determined that disobedient behavior was even more noticeable in dogs who had an insecure attachment to their owner, which is characterized by higher levels of attention seeking and separation anxiety.

Dr. Asher said that adolescence can be a vulnerable time for dogs as many are taken to shelters for rehoming at this age.

"This is a very important time in a dog's life," said Dr. Asher. "This is when dogs are often rehomed because they are no longer a cute little puppy and suddenly, their owners find they are more challenging and they can no longer control them or train them." 

"But as with human teenage children, owners need to be aware that their dog is going through a phase and it will pass."

The study was focused on 69 dogs, including labradors and golden retrievers. The researchers monitored obedience in the dogs at the ages of five and eight months, which was before and during adolescence. 

When it came to listening to their caregivers, the dogs took much longer to respond to the sit command at the age of eight months compared to five months.

However, when it came to obeying a stranger, the dogs improved their response to the sit command at eight months.

In a separate trial, the team examined "trainability" in a group of 285 dogs. The researchers surveyed both owners and trainers, who rated statements such as: "Refuses to obey commands, which in the past it was proven it has learned" and "Responds immediately to the recall command when off lead."

The study revealed that dogs were more difficult and less trainable for their caregivers during adolescence. Meanwhile, the dogs were less difficult and more trainable for their trainers at the same age. 

Another significant finding was that female dogs with insecure attachments were more likely to reach puberty early. This is the very first evidence that the relationship quality of two separate species can have an impact on reproductive timing. 

Study co-author Dr. Naomi Harvey said that while the results of the study may not come as a surprise to many dog owners, the research has important implications. 

"Many dog owners and professionals have long known or suspected that dog behaviour can become more difficult when they go through puberty," said Dr. Harvey. "But until now there has been no empirical record of this. Our results show that the behavior changes seen in dogs closely parallel that of parent-child relationships, as dog-owner conflict is specific to the dog's primary caregiver and just as with human teenagers, this is a passing phase."

"It's very important that owners don't punish their dogs for disobedience or start to pull away from them emotionally at this time" added Dr Asher. "This would be likely to make any problem behaviour worse, as it does in human teens."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rsbl">Biology Letters</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff

&nbsp;

Dogs struggle with adolescence just like teenagers

Dogs are a bit rebellious in their teenage years and...

Moths play a more important role in supporting <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/best-conditions-for-growing-crops-in-the-midwest-are-moving-north/">crop</a> yields than what was previously known, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/">University College London</a>. 

The research suggests that moths are important nighttime pollinators with networks that are larger and more complex than daytime pollinators.

The experts found that moths transport pollen from many of the same plants as bees, butterflies, and hoverflies, yet also interact with plants that are not commonly visited by daytime pollinators.

The study revealed that pollen is usually carried on the moth's ventral thorax, or chest, rather than on the proboscis. This allows for easier pollen transfer.

"Nocturnal moths have an important but overlooked ecological role. They complement the work of daytime pollinators, helping to keep plant populations diverse and abundant," explained study lead author Dr. Richard Walton.

"They also provide natural biodiversity back-up, and without them many more plant species and animals, such as birds and bats that rely on them for food, would be at risk."

"Previous studies of pollen transport among settling moths have focused on their proboscis. However, settling moths sit on the flower while feeding, with their often distinctly hairy bodies touching the flower's reproductive organs. This happy accident helps pollen to be easily transported during subsequent flower visits."

The breakthrough research comes at a time when moth populations are declining across the globe. 

"In recent decades, there has been a lot of science focus on solitary and social bees driven by concerns about their dramatic decline and the strong negative effect this has had on insect-pollinated crop yields," said Dr. Jan Axmacher. "In contrast, nocturnal settling moths - which have many more species than bees - have been neglected by pollination research."

"Our study highlights an urgent need for them to be included in future agricultural management and conservation strategies to help stem declines, and for more research to understand their unique and vital role as pollinators, including their currently unknown role in crop pollination."

The study was focused on agricultural fields in eastern England during the growing seasons of 2016 and 2017. Moth communities and daytime pollinators were monitored once a month.

Of the 838 moths examined for the study, 381 were found to transport pollen. The team found traces of pollen from 47 different plant species, including at least seven that were rarely visited by daytime pollinators. 

Overall, 57 percent of the pollen transported was found on the ventral thorax of the moths.

"While bumblebees and honeybees are known to be super pollinators they also preferentially target the most prolific nectar and pollen sources," said Dr. Walton.

"Moths may appear to be less effective pollinators by comparison, but their high diversity and abundance may make them critical to pollination in ways that we still need to understand." 

"Our research sheds light on a little known world of nocturnal plant-insect interactions that might be vital to the look and smell of our precious countryside and to the crops that we grow."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rsbl">Biology Letters</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff

&nbsp;

Moths found to be critically important pollinators 

Moths play a more important role in supporting crop yields...

The butterfly effect is the idea that small localized changes in a complex system can create larger impacts elsewhere. 

According to a new study from the <a href="https://www.ualberta.ca/index.html">University of Alberta</a>, this is precisely what is happening in the alpine regions of North America, where the effects of climate change are bearing down on the butterflies themselves. 

Study lead author Alessandro Filazzola is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Biological Sciences.

"We often frame the effects of climate change directly onto a species as the future becoming either too hot, too dry, or too wet," explained. Filazzola.

"However, climate change can have indirect effects such as through the food resources of a species. These effects are more likely to affect butterflies, because as caterpillars they often feed on one or a few plant species."

The researchers used climate change models to investigate how alpine butterflies are affected by shifting ecosystems in North America. 

The study revealed that alpine butterflies with specialized diets are the most vulnerable to climate change. This is because they are limited to a few plants whose availability is now fluctuating.

Butterflies that feed on a wider variety of plants are less likely to be affected.

"The main outcome from this study is our improved ability to quantify the complex effects of climate change on ecosystems," said Filazzola.

"Understanding the effects of climate change on a species through its food items is very important for biological conservation--climate change is likely going to have complex effects that extend beyond single species mortality."

Climate models like the one used in this study provide a more comprehensive view of how entire ecosystems are impacted by climate change. 

"Using an approach that looks at the ecosystem level would improve our ability to mitigate biodiversity loss and maintain the delivery of ecosystem services such as pollination."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652486">Global Change Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff

&nbsp;

Alpine butterflies threatened by ecosystem changes

The butterfly effect is the idea that small localized changes...

A new study from <a href="https://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign</a> has found strong evidence to suggest that the Earth's inner core is rotating. The research is shedding new light on the systems that control our planet's <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/humans-earths-magnetic-fields/">magnetic field</a>.

According to the study authors, geologists do not fully understand how the Earth's magnetic field generator works, but it seems to be closely linked to dynamic processes near the inner core-outer core boundary area.

Irregular seismic data, movement of the magnetic poles, and changes in the strength of the magnetic field are all mysterious clues as to what is actually going on in Earth's inner core.

"In 1996, a small but systematic change of seismic waves passing through the inner core was first detected by our group, which we interpreted as evidence for differential rotation of the inner core relative to the Earth's surface," said study co-author Professor Xiaodong Song. 

"However, some studies believe that what we interpret as movement is instead the result of seismic waves reflecting off an alternately enlarging and shrinking inner core boundary, like growing mountains and cutting canyons."

The researchers analyzed seismic data from various geographic locations and investigated a phenomenon called doublets, or earthquakes that repeat in the same spot over time. 

"Having data from the same location but different times allows us to differentiate between seismic signals that change due to localized variation in relief from those that change due to movement and rotation," said study lead author Yi Yang.

The study revealed that some of the earthquake-generated seismic waves penetrate through the iron body below the inner core boundary and change over time. This would not happen if the inner core were stationary, the researchers explained. 

"Importantly, we are seeing that these refracted waves change before the reflected waves bounce off the inner core boundary, implying that the changes are coming from inside the inner core," said Professor Song.

Previous studies were focused on a small, ambiguous dataset that was obtained using a method that is highly dependent on accurate clock time, said the study authors.

"What makes our analysis different is our precise method for determining exactly when the changes in seismic signals occur and arrive at the various seismic stations across the globe," said Yang.

"We use a seismic wave that did not reach the inner core as a reference wave in our calculations, which eliminates a lot of the ambiguity."

Professor Song noted that the precise arrival time analysis, an extensive collection of the best quality data, and careful statistical analysis performed by Yang are what give this study its power. 

"This work confirms that the temporal changes come mostly, if not all, from the body of the inner core, and the idea that inner core surface changes are the sole source of the signal changes can now be ruled out."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/earth-and-planetary-science-letters">Earth and Planetary Science Letters</a>

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff

&nbsp;

New evidence suggests Earth's inner core is rotating

A new study from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.bath.ac.uk/">University of Bath</a> have developed a simple technique for creating <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/plants-can-help-lower-the-cost-of-biofuel-production/">biofuel</a> and fertilizer from seaweed. 

Beyond producing sustainable fuels and chemicals, the new strategy could clean up beaches in the Caribbean and Central America.

Every year, millions of tons of rotting seaweed washes up on beaches throughout Mexico and surrounding regions.

The foul-smelling Sargassum seaweed that clogs up white sand beaches is partially fueled by fertilizer runoff. The annual invasion is devastating to ocean ecosystems and to the tourism and fisheries industries. 

In the current study, the researchers developed an inexpensive way to pre-process seaweed before converting it into bulk chemicals and biofuels.

Study co-author Mike Allen is a professor at the University of Exeter.

"Ultimately, for this to work it has to make financial sense," said Professor Allen. "Processing marine biomass like seaweed usually requires removing it from the salt water, washing it in fresh water and drying it."

"The costs of these processes can be prohibitively high. We needed to find a process that would pay for and sustain itself - something both economically and environmentally viable."

"This work provides a crucial missing step towards a true salt-based Marine Biorefinery by establishing the initial fractionation step."

The new process releases sugars that can be used to produce a palm oil substitute and prepares the leftover seaweed for hydrothermal liquefaction. This is a type of depolymerization process that converts wet biomass into bio-oil, which can be further processed to make fuel and fertilizer. 

Study first author Ed Jones is a PhD student at the Center for Sustainable Circular Technologies at the University of Bath.

"In contrast with existing pre-treatment strategies, we show that an entirely salt-based biochemical conversion route can work," said Jones.

"For the first time this study demonstrates that, rather than a hindrance, the presence of saltwater can be helpful."

Professor Christopher Chuck,  Director of the Center for Integrated Bioprocessing Research at the University of Bath, said the variety of products created by this process is a major strength. 

"The oil industry creates a variety of products including liquid fuel, plastics and fertilisers - and we can benefit from a similar flexibility," said Professor Chuck. 

"We can simply alter the process conditions to produce larger or smaller amounts of specific by-products, allowing us to meet variable demand."

Another major advantage of the strategy is the elimination of invasive seaweed. 

"Many countries in the Caribbean and Central America rely heavily on tourism, so the coronavirus pandemic and the ongoing Sargassum problem have put them on their knees," said Professor Allen. "Last month more than 4 million tonnes of problematic seaweed washed up on their shores."

The study is published in the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10974660">Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff

Groundbreaking technique turns rotting seaweed into biofuels 

Researchers at the University of Bath have developed a simple...

Identifying the distinguishing traits among male and female <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/dinosaurs-dna-blueprint-success/">dinosaurs</a> has been a persistent challenge for scientists. Despite previous assertions, a new study led by <a href="https://www.qmul.ac.uk/">Queen Mary University of London</a> suggests that it is too difficult to positively recognize the sex of a dinosaur based on a skeleton alone.

The researchers analyzed the skulls of modern-day gharials, large crocodiles with narrow snouts that widen at the nostrils, to gauge whether their sex can be determined using only fossil records.

Male gharials are larger than females and have a fleshy growth on the end of their snout, known as a ghara. Although the ghara is comprised of soft tissue, it is supported by a bony hollow near the nostrils that is visible in the skull.

The study was focused on 106 gharial specimens stored in museums all over the world. The experts found that aside from the presence of the bony hollow, the narial fossa, the males and females were strikingly similar.

"Like dinosaurs, gharials are large, slow growing reptiles that lay eggs, which makes them a good model for studying extinct dinosaur species," explained study co-author Dr. David Hone. 

"Our research shows that even with prior knowledge of the sex of the specimen, it can still be difficult to tell male and female gharials apart. With most dinosaurs we don't have anywhere near that size of the dataset used for this study, and we don't know the sex of the animals, so we'd expect this task to be much harder."

Across many species, males and females have extremely different appearances, which is known as sexual dimorphism. For example, with the exception of reindeer, antlers are only found in male deer. 

Sexual dimorphism is very common throughout the animal kingdom and is likely present in dinosaurs, but the gender differences may be too difficult to spot on skeletal remains. 

"Some animals show extraordinarily high levels of sexual dimorphism, for example huge size differences between males and females," said Dr. Hone.

"Gharials sit somewhere in the middle as they do possess these large narial fossa that can help with identification. Our study suggests that unless the differences between the dinosaurs are really striking, or there is a clear feature like the fossa, we will struggle to tell a male and female dinosaur apart using our existing dinosaur skeletons."

The findings challenge previous studies that have proposed specific gender differences in popular dinosaur species, such as the Tyrannosaurus rex.

"Many years ago, a scientific paper suggested that female T. rex are bigger than males. However, this was based on records from 25 broken specimens and our results show this level of data just isn't good enough to be able to make this conclusion," said Dr. Hone.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://peerj.com/">PeerJ</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Dinosaur gender remains a mystery

Identifying the distinguishing traits among male and female dinosaurs has...

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;



---



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;



---



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

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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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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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