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Dark, finger‑like marks slide down countless Martian cliffs each year. These stripes have prompted decades of speculation about water still trickling across the Red Planet.



A new analysis of 500,000 of these features shows that they form through avalanches of dry dust, report <a href="https://www.csh.unibe.ch/about_us/people/csh__bernoulli_fellows/dr_bickel_valentin/index_eng.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Valentin Tertius Bickel</a> of the <a href="https://www.unibe.ch/index_eng.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bern</a> and <a href="https://deeps.brown.edu/people/postdocs-researchers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Adomas Valantinas</a> of <a href="https://www.brown.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brown University</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-the-martian-stripes-matter">Why the Martian stripes matter</h2>



For almost 50 years, scientists have puzzled over the dusky streaks that run hundreds to thousands of feet down Martian slopes before slowly fading. Their shorter‑lived cousins, <a href="https://www.lpl.arizona.edu/~shane/publications/mcewen_etal_natgeo_2014.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">recurring slope lineae (RSL)</a>, appear seasonally and were once thought to be briny trickles that might shelter microbes.



If <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wave-ripples-discovered-mars-surface-indicate-liquid-water-present-4-billion-years-ago/">liquid water</a> were involved, these sites would demand strict planetary‑protection rules and might even hint at present‑day habitability. Proving the absence of water, therefore, reshapes exploration priorities and eases contamination worries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-building-a-map-of-dust-based-stripes">Building a map of dust‑based stripes</h2>



Bickel and Valantinas trained a deep‑learning model on images from the <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/mars-reconnaissance-orbiter/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter</a> and scanned 86,000 photographs, thus assembling the first global catalog of half a million Martian stripes. 



The map shows that streaks cover less than 0.1 percent of Mars’ surface, yet shuffle enough dust each Martian year to rival several planet‑wide storms.



Most stripes cluster between 40 degrees north and 20 degrees south, in the dustiest lowlands where reflectance is high and grain size is tiny. Bright, older streaks outnumber fresh dark ones by roughly 37 to 1, revealing a surface that is still reworked long after volcanic and fluvial eras ended.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wind-impacts-and-avalanches">Wind, impacts, and avalanches</h2>



The study found no link between Martian stripes and humidity, <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-is-locating-ice-on-mars-with-this-new-map/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">subsurface ice</a>, or temperatures that ever rise above the freezing point. Instead, stripe density rises sharply in areas with above‑average wind speeds and fresh impact craters, suggesting that blasts and gusts dislodge blankets of ultra‑fine dust.



“Once we had this global map, we could compare it to databases of temperature, wind speed, and rock‑slide activity. Then we could look for correlations over hundreds of thousands of cases,” said Bickel.



High‑resolution images catch some streaks cascading minutes after nearby meteorites land, while others follow seasonal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dust-storms-can-engulf-the-entire-planet-of-mars-but-how/">dust deposition</a> peaks tracked by orbital weather <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0019103524001210" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">models</a>. 



Laboratory experiments with micron‑scale grains show that such powders can flow like a liquid under Mars’ weak gravity, giving the stripes smooth outlines.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-investigations-of-martian-stripes">Future investigations of Martian stripes </h2>



Because the streaks are dry, rovers and landers can safely approach them without risking forward contamination of a hidden oasis. The dusty gullies also provide natural “core samples” of surface coatings, which offer clues to recent climate cycles without the need for drilling.



Planetary‑protection officers may reroute planned missions away from suspected wet spots and toward subsurface ice, where astrobiological potential remains stronger. 



For human explorers, the result underscores that liquid water is still locked in ice or vapor, simplifying landing‑site selection but highlighting the need for in‑situ resource extraction.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dust-stripes-and-climate-dynamics">Dust stripes and climate dynamics</h2>



The dust shifted by Martian stripes isn’t just a cosmetic feature, it’s part of a much larger atmospheric loop. Each Martian year, flowing stripes displace enough <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dust-could-threaten-the-health-of-future-astronauts-on-mars/">dust</a> to rival multiple global dust storms, suggesting that they play a bigger role in regulating <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mysterious-ridges-on-mars-hint-at-an-unexpected-past/">Mars</a>’ thin, dusty air than previously thought.



This ongoing redistribution could influence seasonal temperature patterns, surface reflectivity, and even the strength of regional wind systems. Researchers haven’t yet observed the dust entering the atmosphere during a stripe’s formation, but models suggest this movement contributes significantly to the surface-atmosphere dust exchange budget.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-martian-dust-stripes-flows-like-a-fluid">Martian dust stripes flows like a fluid</h2>



The motion of Martian slope stripes mimics the behavior of liquids, even though they consist of dry dust. Laboratory studies on granular materials show that fine particles can flow downhill in dense, smooth waves, especially in low-gravity environments like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/detecting-life-on-mars-a-breakthrough-in-space-research/">Mars</a>.



On Earth, this kind of granular flow is seen in slow-moving avalanches or the collapse of powdery hills. 



On Mars, it may explain why slope stripes form without leaving behind visible dust clouds. The dust might move in tightly packed sheets, held together by electrostatic forces and grain-to-grain interactions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-unanswered-questions">The unanswered questions</h2>



Researchers still debate why <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/2016JE005012" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">RSL</a> favor sun‑facing southern highlands while most Martian stripes sit in northern lowlands. They question whether this is related to different grain sizes or bedrock textures. 



Dust‑devil tracks often skirt stripe fields but rarely overlap, raising puzzles about the effects of localized wind turbulence and static charging.



Future high‑cadence imaging could reveal exactly how fast each stripe forms, whether seconds or hours, and whether Marsquakes ever help kick‑start an avalanche. 



For now, the Red Planet’s famous stripes turn out to be the work of wind and impacts, not water, deepening our understanding of a world that remains strikingly dry.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-59395-w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>. Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / University of Arizona.



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New analysis offers alternative theories on the mysterious 'Martian stripes'

Dark, finger‑like marks slide down countless Martian cliffs each year. These stripes have prompted decades of speculation about water still trickling across the Red Planet. A new analysis of 500,000 of these features shows that they form through avalanches of dry dust, report Valentin Tertius Bickel of the University of Bern and Adomas Valantinas of Brown University. Why the Martian stripes matter For almost 50 years, scientists have puzzled over the dusky streaks that run hundreds to thousands of feet down Martian slopes before slowly fading. Their...

In a moving article published by <a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATURJjcpEzk69xAdzQE6f-2FdT-2Fl4PkK1b-2BLxp3wbCelUJB8b1UYp0IO3ubyRD5vLT2Ws7uQDGGseSPpgTBuvgEFWu06bq6YH6vJ5sRjx8VsvcQsBeYNK3AHaeB1f6ABxTAVhO1fBgf7zgAmNUKBIuMRp-2FY-3DeTpS_8UuaF1eCRAO-2BF-2F5wvArQ6TbXOubIR1PWjHsc9ApZ8KvqKo6FZKO0wLgEncUpVYubmvBPu9Dm9XHoDc5XLcHkCsbSJ1SrBSho86saUD4Sf1IEXeXgpSfooKrsKuxldHh4h7xUmIVxhbHEMEy1aivoZ65rbUK56flHAiOhfxnPjSOHN25eLSJz4jmUjWMnPXb570065gzkPjecAhYGLA5rYZLWwMlL40GRytpM4jGpirLeeY-2Fl2A8ZINiReSQ4Huc04mU04ji98hGnv7jP1RN8-2BGx-2FxOsAo7jk8T2rME0RaXXHY-2FqpXafvbNTj1lne3IYPzRPHLGF67mmNegQLE6IWDX2kxxrFlTzprGukQwzDwn8-3D">The American Conservative</a> today, Republican speech writer Landon Parvin shares his thoughts on the Trump administration's proposal to lift critical <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/trumps-epa-environmental-protections/">protections</a> in the Tongass National Forest.

"The Tongass has glaciers, fjords, islands and 11,000 miles of shoreline. It is a natural and national jewel," writes Parvin. 

"It is home to an abundance of indigenous wildlife, including bears, wolves, Sitka black-tailed deer, northern goshawks, marbled murrelets and the largest known concentration of bald eagles."

"In the glistening waters surrounding the forests of the Tongass, humpback and orca whales, otters, sea lions, porpoises and all five species of Pacific salmon can be found."

"Migratory birds in the hundreds of thousands - snow geese, sandhill cranes, sandpipers, plovers and other species - make their way to the Tongass..."

"The proposal to lift the protections of the Roadless Rule is an effort by the Trump Administration to open up logging for the timber industry. It would irreversibly devastate millions of acres of land and damage nearby water sources, destroying the interwoven habitats of animals, birds and fish."

The Tongass National Forest is part of the largest intact temperate rainforest on the planet. The ancient trees help mitigate the harmful effects of climate change by storing massive amounts of carbon.

In 2001, the majority of the Tongass National Forest became off-limits to road construction, mining, and logging when the Clinton administration adopted the Roadless Rule. Designed to protect 58.5 million acres of forest in 39 states and territories, the legislation was considered a huge victory by millions of Americans. 

But now, the Trump administration is once again moving to support big business over critical environmental protections. Last year, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) announced plans to remove roadless protection on more than nine million acres of wilderness in Tongass National Park. 

“Alaskans and Americans overwhelmingly want to see roadless areas within the Tongass National Forest protected,” said Patrick Lavin, the Alaska policy advisor for Defenders of Wildlife. “Instead, the Trump administration has moved to open our remaining wild lands to logging to benefit private industry."

"Clearcutting ancient forests is bad for fish and wildlife, bad for the region’s tourism and fishing industries, expensive for taxpayers, and makes no economic sense. This proposal would bring great destruction and no benefit.”

Last year, <a href="https://www.npr.org/">NPR</a> interviewed Buck Lindekugel, an attorney with the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council. He said the government's arguments to lift protections in the Tongass are not even relevant in this day and age. 

"They're making the same arguments today that they made 30 years ago. Oh, the industry - if we don't do this, the industry's not going to survive. The industry can't survive as it is," said Lindekugel.

Landon Parvin is a former speech writer for Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush. In his article, he explains that America needs economic growth, but America also needs sacred lands. The economic growth that would be associated with logging in the Tongass, he says, is simply not worth it.

"In a time of social distancing and sheltering in place, it is a great comfort to call upon the peace and sustenance the natural world can provide. It is an enduring good," writes Parvin.

"American presidents of both parties - from Teddy Roosevelt to my old boss, Ronald Reagan, to Barack Obama - have embraced this enduring good and sought to protect our country’s natural heritage."

"American transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau once stated that there 'are moments when all anxiety and stated toil are becalmed in the infinite leisure and repose of nature.'"

"This is why, now, more than ever, we must protect the federal lands so designated by generations of American leaders. We must conserve this heritage, our birthright as Americans, so that these lands will remain untouched, a sanctuary in trying times."

Parvin is one of many conservative leaders supporting Citizens for the Republic's <a href="http://cftr.org/tongass-national-forest/">campaign</a> to maintain the protections of the Roadless Rule.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Trump's plan would "irreversibly devastate" the Tongass National Forest

In a moving article published by The American Conservative today,...

A new study from <a href="https://www.rutgers.edu/">Rutgers University</a> has revealed that ocean algae steal genes from bacteria for an <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/birds-with-innovative-feeding-strategies-have-an-evolutionary-advantage/">evolutionary</a> advantage. Gene acquisition provides algae with specific benefits, such as the ability to tolerate stressful environments or break down carbohydrates for food.

Previous studies have shown that bacteria and other prokaryotes swap genes to adapt to new habitats in a process known as horizontal gene transfer. The new research suggests that a massive group of eukaryotes has a long history of gene acquistion as well. 

The study was focused on 23 species of brown and golden-brown algae. The experts found that gene acquisition had a major impact on the evolution of these ancient marine species, which help form the base of the ocean food chain. 

Through photosynthesis, marine algae produce more than 70 percent of the Earth's oxygen. Some types of algae, such as diatoms, are responsible for about 45 percent of global primary production of organic matter.

Study co-author Debashish Bhattacharya is a distinguished professor in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. She explained that hundreds of thousands of species make up a group known as CRASH, and these organisms have thrived on Earth for more than a billion years

The enormous group includes algae such as diatoms and dinoflagellates, as well as alveolates and oomycetes. Professor Bhattacharya noted that CRASH organisms create and consume immense amounts of organic matter.

The research team, led by experts at the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, produced a sweeping genomic dataset consisting of more than 524,000 protein sequences from 23 CRASH species. The researchers analyzed the dataset using sophisticated techniques.

The study revealed that the extent of horizontal gene transfer is highly variable among different CRASH species. Overall, an average of one percent of all CRASH organisms' genes were acquired from bacteria. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Ocean algae steal genes from bacteria

A new study from Rutgers University has revealed that ocean...

<a href="http://www.earth.com/news/conservation-efforts-to-save-amphibians-are-largely-insufficient/">Conservation</a> efforts to protect biodiversity alongside future development will be hindered by a lack of space, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a>. Even with policies in place for biodiversity offsetting, developers will struggle to find enough land.  

Dr. Laura Sonter is an expert in UQ's School of Earth and Environmental Sciences. She said the challenges are evident worldwide and could significantly limit the ability to achieve global conservation goals.

"Most countries now have offsetting policies requiring developers to revegetate or protect areas of habitat and ecosystems, to compensate for biodiversity losses caused by their projects," said Dr. Sonter.

"When these activities create as much biodiversity as that lost to development, the offsets are said to achieve no net loss of biodiversity.

Dr. Sonter explained that in many cases, there simply is not enough land to completely offset the huge biodiversity losses expected from expected future development.

"For example, in East Kalimantan, Indonesia, twice the amount of land that is currently available for revegetation would be required to compensate for losses from proposed developments, in order to achieve no net loss of biodiversity - and we found similar results in Mozambique and Brazil."

"For places like these, it is inevitable that development will result in an overall loss of biodiversity, because land availability constraints make no net biodiversity loss impossible to achieve."

As offsetting policies become stricter, some will require more conservation for every unit of biodiversity lost. This means that even more land will be needed.

"Other policies limit conservation activities to already rare habitats to prevent extinctions, so they rapidly run out of land for offsetting."

Martine Maron is a UQ professor of Environmental Management. She said the findings have implications for reconciling development with crucial global biodiversity conservation goals.

"If offsetting policies are strictly enforced and countries run out of land for these activities, any new proposed development projects will not be permitted, potentially slowing global biodiversity losses," said Professor Maron.

"The more likely scenario is that if land availability becomes a constraint, then offsetting requirements will be relaxed, enabling development with less compensation, and biodiversity losses will soar."

"This detracts from broad conservation goals, and particularly, a move towards 'global no net loss of ecosystems', which nations of the world are looking to commit to under the Convention on Biological Diversity."

According to Dr. Sonter, there are two ways forward, and avoiding biodiversity losses is key. She said the consequences of offset failure for rare species and habitats could be disproportionately large, including near-certain extinction.

"However, since development is essential in many instances, we recommend governments explicitly account for land availability constraints in their offset policies and making decisions about projects."

"A key step forward in addressing these challenges is designing offset policies so that they are directly linked to national biodiversity goals."

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;

Biodiversity offsetting may be limited by land constraints

Conservation efforts to protect biodiversity alongside future development will be...

The chemicals in tobacco <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/young-smokers-have-a-harder-time-quitting-as-adults/">smoke</a> can cause serious damage to the structure and function of blood vessels and arteries. A new study published by the <a href="https://www.heart.org/">American Heart Association</a> has revealed that e-cigarettes may induce the same vascular damage as traditional cigarettes. 

"Many people believe e-cigarettes are safer than combustible cigarettes. In fact, most e-cigarette users say the primary reason they use e-cigarettes is because they think e-cigarettes pose less of a health risk," said study lead author Dr. Jessica L. Fetterman. 

"Meanwhile, the evidence from scientific studies is growing that e-cigarettes might not be the safer alternative to smoking traditional cigarettes when it comes to heart health. Our study adds to that evidence."

The research was focused on over 400 individuals between the ages of 21 and 45 with no pre-existing heart disease risk factors. Among the study participants, there were 94 nonsmokers, 285 cigarette smokers, 36 e-cigarette users, and 52 smokers of both traditional and e-cigarettes. 

Dual smokers and traditional cigarette smokers were mostly older than e-cigarette users, who were predominantly young white males. E-cigarette users were all former smokers of traditional cigarettes.

"We studied measures of blood vessel function in e-cigarette and dual users who had been using e-cigarettes for at least three months," said Dr. Fetterman. 

"Most studies to-date have looked at the impact of acute use of e-cigarettes on blood vessel function measured right before and after use, whereas our study evaluated blood vessel function in chronic e-cigarette use among young, healthy adults."

The researchers found that former smokers who switched to e-cigarettes and dual users had arteries that were just as stiff as traditional cigarette users.

"Stiffening of the arteries can cause damage to the small blood vessels, including capillaries, and puts additional stress on the heart, all of which can contribute to the development of heart disease," said Dr. Fetterman.

The study also revealed that the endothelial cells that line the blood vessels appeared to have sustained the same amount of damage in those who smoked e-cigarettes, combustible cigarettes,  or both.

"The endothelial cells from e-cigarette users or dual users produced less of the heart-protective compound nitric oxide, compared to non-tobacco users. Their cells also produced more reactive oxygen species, which cause damage to the parts of cells such as DNA and proteins," said Dr. Fetterman.

"Our study results suggest there is no evidence that the use of e-cigarettes reduces cardiovascular injury, dysfunction or harm associated with the use of combustible tobacco products."

According to Dr. Fetterman, long-term studies are needed to further examine the progression of vascular damage from e-cigarettes alone.

The research is published in the <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/journal/jaha">Journal of the American Heart Association</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

E-cigarettes may not reduce vascular damage

The chemicals in tobacco smoke can cause serious damage to...

A new study published by <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/">Frontiers</a> is the first to investigate how gender may influence the severity of COVID-19 infection. The researchers discovered that while men and women have the same chance of becoming infected by the SARS-Cov-2 virus, men are more than twice as likely to die. 

As the COVID-19 <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/flu-resistant-chickens-pandemic/">pandemic</a> persists, experts are urgently working to understand why some people are more dangerously impacted by the virus than others. At this point, it is known that older age and pre-existing health complications pose the greatest risk.

The new research suggests that males who are older or suffer from underlying medical conditions like heart disease may require additional precautions and care. 

Around 80 percent of people who contract COVID-19 experience only mild symptoms, and recent studies have shown that as many as 50 percent of these individuals are not even aware they have the disease. 

Identifying the factors that set severe cases of infection apart may help protect high-risk people from serious complications and death. 

Dr. Jin-Kui Yang, a physician at Beijing Tongren Hospital in China, recognized a trend among COVID-19 patients who died.

"Early in January we noticed that the number of men dying from COVID-19 appeared to be higher than the number of women," said Dr. Yang. "This raised a question: are men more susceptible to getting or dying from COVID-19? We found that no-one had measured gender differences in COVID-19 patients, and so began investigating."

Dr. Yang and his colleagues analyzed patient records to look for potential differences in how men and women respond to COVID-19. The records included data on 43 patients who the doctors had treated themselves and a public dataset on more than 1,000 COVID-19 patients.

Due to the similarities between the first SARS coronavirus and the novel virus, the doctors also analyzed a dataset of 524 SARS patients from 2003.

The analysis confirmed that the elderly and those with comorbid conditions were more likely to die from COVID-19 infection. The age and the numbers of men and women affected were similar, yet men were more likely to develop a severe infection. 

In the largest COVID-19 dataset, over 70 percent of the patients who died were men, which means that men have nearly 2.5 times the death rate of women. Males were also more prone to serious infections, regardless of their age. 

In the SARS dataset, the researchers identified a similar pattern. This is likely tied to the finding that levels of ACE2, the protein that is exploited by the coronavirus, is often present in higher levels among men, individuals with cardiovascular disease, and diabetes patients.

Further research is needed to determine exactly why men struggle more with COVID-19 than women, but the implications are clear.

"We recommend that additional supportive care and prompt access to the intensive care unit may be necessary for older male patients," said Dr. Yang.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/journal/2296-2565_Frontiers_in_Public_Health">Frontiers in Public Health</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Men are more than twice as likely to die from COVID-19 

A new study published by Frontiers is the first to...

An international team of experts led by the <a href="https://ki.se/en">Karolinska Institutet</a> has found evidence to suggest that Parkinson's disease originates in the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/gut-messages-brain-lightning/">gut</a>. The researchers identified cells from the gut's nervous system that are involved in an early stage of Parkinson's.

The nervous system is composed of hundreds of different types of cells with unique functions. By understanding which cells influence a particular brain disorder, experts can develop new treatments to target those cells. 

The research team combined mice gene expression studies with human genetics to map out the cell types involved in various neurological and psychiatric disorders, including Parkinson's disease. This neurodegenerative disorder is characterized by nerve cell damage in the brain that causes dopamine levels to drop.

"As expected, we found that dopaminergic neurons were associated with Parkinson's disease," said study co-author Professor Patrick Sullivan. "More surprisingly, we found that enteric neurons also seem to play an important role in the disorder, supporting the hypothesis that Parkinson's disease starts in the gut."

The researchers compared brain tissue from healthy individuals to people with various stages of Parkinson's disease. The experts were surprised to find that a group of specialized brain cells called oligodendrocytes were affected early on in the progression of the disease.

"The fact that the animal studies pointed us to oligodendrocytes and that we were then able to show that these cells were also affected in patients suggests that the results may have clinical implications," said study co-author Jens Hjerling-Leffler.

The team found evidence that oligodendrocytes are affected even before the loss of dopaminergic neurons. "This makes them an attractive target for therapeutic interventions in Parkinson's disease," said study co-first author Julien Bryois.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ng/">Nature Genetics</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Parkinson's disease may originate in the gut

An international team of experts led by the Karolinska Institutet...

Schizophrenia linked to irregular fatty metabolism in the brain. A discovery made by experts at the <a href="https://www.riken.jp/en/research/labs/cbs/">RIKEN Center for Brian Science</a> (CBS) in Japan has the potential to improve treatments for <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/parasite-cats-risk-schizophrenia/">schizophrenia</a>. The researchers have linked the disorder to a deficiency of fatty molecules found in the white matter of the brain. 

A postmortem comparison showed that schizophrenia was associated with lower levels of S1P, a fatty molecule that is necessary for the production of highly specialized neural cells called oligodendrocytes. 

Existing treatments for schizophrenia, which primarily target dopamine, are not effective for many patients. Schizophrenia linked to irregular fatty metabolism in the brain

"Because we don't have another angle on what causes schizophrenia, many pharmaceutical companies are pulling out of schizophrenia-related drug development," said RIKEN CBS team leader Takeo Yoshikawa. "Hopefully, our findings can provide the new angle with a new target for drug development."

The effects of schizophrenia on the brain are not entirely understood. It is known that people suffering from the disorder have less white matter than normal brains. 

White matter is made up of fatty substances formed by oligodendrocytes, specialized cells that are regulated by S1P. The interaction between these specialized cells and neurons are critical for communication within the central nervous system. 

Schizophrenia is characterized by hallucinations and the inability to distinguish fantasy from reality. These symptoms may originate in white matter abnormalities that disrupt communication between neurons.

The RIKEN CBS team conducted a postmortem analysis of the large white matter tract that connects the left and right sides of the brain. The experts found a severe deficiency in S1P fatty molecules, which are needed for the creation of oligodendrocytes. 

The study revealed that normal amounts of S1P had been initially produced, but many of these fatty molecules had metabolized and degraded. 

"Drugs that prevent S1P degradation could be particularly effective in treating schizophrenia," said study first author Kayoko Esaki, who contributed his expertise in the technique of mass spectrometry to measure S1P levels.

"This was the first psychiatric study of the postmortem brain to use mass spectroscopic analysis, and our discovery would not have been possible without our newly established comprehensive technique for screening sphingolipids," said Yoshikawa.

Further analysis revealed that the postmortem brains of people with bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder did not have abnormal levels of S1P, indicating that the deficiency is specific to schizophrenia.

"The next important step is to determine precisely which S1P receptor-acting drugs are effective in experimental animals," explained Yoshikawa. "Although the new blockbuster drug fingolimod works at the S1P receptor and is effective at treating multiple sclerosis, we do not yet know how effective it would be for schizophrenia."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/schizophreniabulletin">Schizophrenia Bulletin</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Schizophrenia linked to irregular fatty metabolism in the brain

Schizophrenia linked to irregular fatty metabolism in the brain. A...

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

Plastic pollution is increasingly invading Antarctica

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

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

Honey bees reveal how heat stress affects fertility among insects

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

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

Portrayal of men on Instagram may cause body dissatisfaction

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

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

Poor sleep quality linked to higher risk of diabetes

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

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

Some types of heart disease increase COVID-19 risk

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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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

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain. The image was captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.



"Together with the provinces of Huesca and Teruel, Zaragoza formed the old kingdom of Aragon. Its capital, also called Zaragoza (not visible in this image) is home to around half of Aragon’s population," says ESA.



"The Ebro River can be seen winding its way through the province from west to east in this image. Between its source in the Cantabrian Mountains in the northwest and its delta on the Mediterranean coast, the Ebro River is fed by more than 200 tributaries as it flows 910 km across much of northern Spain."



Since rainfall is very scarce in this region, irrigation in the Ebro basin is critically important. In the valleys surrounding the Ebro River, many fields are used for growing crops such as corn, wheat, and barley.



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> features a visual dataset of.methane emissions from wetlands across the globe. Atmospheric methane levels have reached record highs in recent years, and wetlands are a major source of these emissions.&nbsp;



"Methane is an important greenhouse gas that contributes substantially to global warming. On a molecule by molecule basis, methane is much more efficient at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, the main driver of warming," says NASA.



"Though human activities, including agriculture, oil and natural gas production and use, and waste disposal, collectively contribute the majority of methane to the atmosphere, about a third of total methane emissions comes from wetlands."&nbsp;



According to NASA, understanding methane emissions from wetlands and other natural sources is critically important for scientists and policymakers who are working to combat climate change by reducing emissions from human activities.



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> reveals the evolution of the Columbia Glacier in southeastern Alaska. Columbia is among the fastest shrinking glaciers in the world, and the video documents its rapid retreat over the years.&nbsp;



Columbia Glacier is a large, multi-branched calving glacier that flows out of the Chugach Mountains to the Prince William Sound.&nbsp;



According to USGS, Columbia had a long history of stability prior to 1980, with a length 41 miles, and small, short-lived advances or retreats.



In the years since 1980, however, satellite images have captured Columbia’s alarming retreat. By using false-color images, scientists can distinguish between snow and ice, open water, vegetation, and rocky debris on the glacier’s surface.



The series of false-color images featured in today's video were acquired over the span of 35 years. You can see that by 2021, the glacier’s main branch had retreated about 15 miles from its initial position.



The Columbia Glacier has also lost more than 50 percent of its volume, mostly due to calving. <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/nasa-reveals-3d-visual-of-an-atmospheric-river/">NASA</a> reports that while climate change likely started the retreat, mechanical processes kept the disintegration going.



The NASA images are provided by Jesse Allen, Robert Simmon, Joshua Stevens, and Lauren Dauphin using data from Landsat satellites, from the U.S. Geological Survey, and data from MODIS on NASA’s Terra satellite. The structure of Columbia’s moraine played a large role in the stability of the glacier before 1980. 



Like other tidewater glaciers, the Columbia built up a moraine over time, and the mixture of ice and rock functioned like a dam keeping out the sea. It was supported on one end by the shoreline and by the underwater terminal moraine at the other.



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory/&nbsp; NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

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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

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

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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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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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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