For years, bacteria dominated gut health research. Now, the gut virome is gaining attention as a major player in health and disease. Bacteriophages, which are viruses that infect <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-think-they-found-two-key-bacteria-that-cause-multiple-sclerosis/">bacteria</a>, make up around 90% of the gut virome.



Though small in biomass, they outnumber bacteria by up to tenfold. These tiny viruses shape microbial communities, influence immunity, and affect gut health.



A landmark review published recently in Precision Clinical Medicine reveals how the gut virome links to diseases like inflammatory bowel disease (<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/inflammatory-bowel-disease/about/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IBD</a>), <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/colonoscopy-vs-stool-tests-doctors-found-out-which-is-better-at-detecting-cancer/">colorectal cancer</a>, and Clostridium difficile infection (<a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15548-c-diff-infection" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CDI</a>).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gut-s-virome-changes-across-life-stages">Gut's virome changes across life stages</h2>



The gut virome changes constantly throughout life. Infants show high <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bacteria-that-eat-forever-chemicals-discovered-in-contaminated-soil/">diversity</a> in gut bacteriophages (also called phages), which is shaped by birth method, diet, and antibiotic exposure.



As individuals grow, diet and hormones refine the virome. In adults, phages and bacteria form a stable, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41579-021-00536-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">balanced community</a>.



However, aging shifts this balance. Older adults show more lysogenic phages, which integrate into bacterial genomes and potentially alter metabolism and immune interactions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-diet-and-environment-shape-the-virome">Diet and environment shape the virome</h2>



Diet greatly <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9455721/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">influences</a> the virome. High-fiber diets support beneficial phages by encouraging helpful bacteria. Western diets, rich in fat and sugar, promote harmful <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/some-bacteria-breathe-by-creating-electricity/">phages</a>.



Urbanization reduces exposure to natural viruses. Studies show that rural diets which are rich in fiber boost gut virome diversity.



Host genetics and immunity also play roles. Genetic variants can affect viral detection and clearance. Immune defenses, like <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/interferons" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">interferons</a> and <a href="https://www.immunology.org/public-information/bitesized-immunology/receptors-molecules/immunoglobulin-iga" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IgA</a>, keep the virome balanced.



However, immune dysfunction can trigger viral imbalances, worsening conditions like HIV and gut inflammation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-viruses-and-bacteria-interacting">Viruses and bacteria interacting</h2>



Viruses, including phages, along with bacteria and fungi form a complex and dynamic ecosystem in the gut. The components interact in positive and negative ways, thus affecting host metabolism, immune regulation and resistance to disease. 



The gut virome plays a crucial regulatory role in these intricate interactions. Phages interact with bacteria through lytic, lysogenic, and budding cycles, which regulate bacterial populations and gene flow. 



In a form of microbial arms race, the bacteria defend against phages using <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/crispr-used-to-remove-extra-chromosomes-in-down-syndrome-and-restore-cell-function/">CRISPR systems</a> and the phages evolve escape mechanisms.



Some phages even boost bacterial metabolism and biofilm formation, affecting disease risk. For instance, phages can transfer genes that enhance bacterial survival in acidic conditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-virome-s-influence-on-immunity">Virome’s influence on immunity</h2>



The virome affects gut immunity deeply. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/when-bacteria-get-hungry-they-turn-on-each-other/">Phages</a> can anchor to gut mucus and form a protective barrier. They also shape our own <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459471/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">T and B cell</a> activity and regulate macrophages. In addition, viruses that infect eukaryotic cells affect immune pathways and maintain gut balance.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/virome_microbiome_human-gut_graphic_credit-PCM_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/virome_microbiome_human-gut_graphic_credit-PCM_1s.webp" alt="This infographic illustrates four major therapeutic approaches—fecal microbial transplantation (FMT), phage therapy, dietary interventions, and probiotics/prebiotics—that aim to restore gut health by modulating the microbiome and virome. Each strategy offers unique methods, benefits, and challenges in managing gastrointestinal disorders such as IBD, CRC, and CDI, highlighting the growing potential of virome-informed precision medicine. Credit: Precision Clinical Medicine" class="wp-image-1976450"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This infographic illustrates four major therapeutic approaches—fecal microbial transplantation (FMT), phage therapy, dietary interventions, and probiotics/prebiotics—that aim to restore gut health by modulating the microbiome and virome. Each strategy offers unique methods, benefits, and challenges in managing gastrointestinal disorders such as IBD, CRC, and CDI, highlighting the growing potential of virome-informed precision medicine. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Precision Clinical Medicine</figcaption></figure>



However, infections and antibiotics can disrupt this harmony and lead to inflammation. Phages can trigger TLR9 pathways, causing excessive immune responses such as those linked to IBD.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-virome-s-role-in-disease">Virome’s role in disease</h2>



Imbalances in the gut virome have been linked to several gut diseases. In IBD, specific phages become abundant and worsen inflammation.



Certain groups of phages (such as Caudovirales) amplify immune responses, while norovirus and rotavirus can damage the gut lining. Viral imbalances are also common in IBS and CDI.



In colorectal cancer, phages and eukaryotic viruses like HPV and JC virus (polyomavirus) appear more often. They may promote tumor growth by altering bacterial communities and gene expression.



Studies suggest that some phages directly influence cancer risk by promoting biofilms and transferring harmful genes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-virus-based-treatments">Virus-based treatments</h2>



Several therapies now explore the virome’s potential to treat certain diseases or conditions. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) restores gut balance and reduces inflammation in IBD and CDI.



FMT works not only by shifting bacteria but also by transferring beneficial phages. Studies show that donor phages often align quickly with recipients and promote recovery.



Phage therapy, which uses viruses to kill specific bacteria, is another approach that is gaining traction. It can reduce harmful microbes while preserving beneficial ones.



Researchers have created phage cocktails that target specific gut pathogens like E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, and this approach has had promising results in animal models.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-diet-as-a-tool-to-reshape-the-virome">Diet as a tool to reshape the virome</h2>



Dietary strategies also reshape the virome. High-fiber diets boost beneficial phages and support bacterial diversity.



Whey protein has shown potential in managing Crohn’s disease by improving phage-bacteria interactions.



Other interventions, such as exclusive enteral nutrition and low-FODMAP diets, also show benefits in gut diseases.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-probiotics-prebiotics-and-phages">Probiotics, prebiotics, and phages</h2>



Probiotics introduce beneficial bacteria, while prebiotics feed them. Combining them, known as symbiotics, shows promise for restoring and maintaining gut health.



Recent research suggests that adding phages can enhance these effects. Phage-based products, such as PreforPro, have already shown benefits in clinical trials.



These products can reduce populations of harmful bacteria and improve probiotic performance, thereby creating a more stable gut environment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-using-gut-viruses-to-detect-diseases-early">Using gut viruses to detect diseases early</h2>



The gut virome is now being studied as a diagnostic tool. Viral patterns are more stable than bacterial ones, making them reliable biomarkers.



Distinct virome signatures can predict IBD and colorectal cancer. Machine learning models already use virome data to detect these diseases early.



Virome profiling may also track treatment responses, such as FMT success in IBD and CDI.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenges-and-future-prospects">Challenges and future prospects</h2>



Despite the excitement over potential new treatments, many hurdles remain. Current methods struggle to capture the full virome due to technical limits.



Many phages are still unculturable, and their roles remain unclear. Researchers are working to improve viral databases and develop targeted therapies. Once these gaps close, virome-based therapies could change how we treat gut diseases.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/pcm/article/8/2/pbaf010/8152264" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Precision Clinical Medicine</a>.



-----



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



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



-----

Move over microbiome, it's time for the human gut's "virome" to shine

For years, bacteria dominated gut health research. Now, the gut virome is gaining attention as a major player in health and disease. Bacteriophages, which are viruses that infect bacteria, make up around 90% of the gut virome. Though small in biomass, they outnumber bacteria by up to tenfold. These tiny viruses shape microbial communities, influence immunity, and affect gut health. A landmark review published recently in Precision Clinical Medicine reveals how the gut virome links to diseases like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), colorectal cancer, and Clostridium difficile infection (CDI)....

Researchers at <a href="https://www.harvard.edu/">Harvard University</a> have created a new method that could potentially store data for millions of years outside of the internet. Unlike cloud storage, which uses up a lot of energy, saving the data with the team’s molecular storage technique requires no additional energy once it is written. 

“Think storing the contents of the New York Public Library with a teaspoon of protein,” said study first author Brian Cafferty. “At least at this stage, we do not see this method competing with existing methods of data storage. We instead see it as complementary to those technologies and, as an initial objective, well suited for long-term archival data storage.”

Researchers can now manipulate <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/dna-rna-earth/">DNA strands</a> to record and store information, but the new filing system offers an enticing alternative to this and other biological storage tools. 

“We set out to explore a strategy that does not borrow directly from biology,” said Cafferty. “We instead relied on techniques common in organic and analytical chemistry, and developed an approach that uses small, low molecular weight molecules to encode information.”


The team can produce enough small molecules to encode multiple videos at a time, making this method less labor intensive and cheaper than DNA storage. For their low-weight molecules, the experts selected oligopeptides, which are common, stable, and smaller than DNA, RNA, or proteins.

According to the researchers, a mixture of eight oligopeptides can store one byte of information, 32 can store four bytes, and so on. After writing and storing various information, the team found that the data can be retrieved with 99.9 percent accuracy. 

The resilient molecules can survive without light or oxygen and in high heat. “Oligopeptides have stabilities of hundreds or thousands of years under suitable conditions,” wrote the researchers. 

The scalable molecular library is a stable, zero-energy, and corruption-resistant option for future information storage.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/centralscience">ACS Central Science</a>.
--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New molecular technique can safely store data for millions of years

Researchers at Harvard University have created a new method that...

Skeletons excavated from Norton Priory in England contain a rare and unusually aggressive form of a bone disease similar to Paget’s disease, according to a new archeological study. 

Paget’s disease of bone is a chronic disorder where new bone tissue gradually replaces old bone tissue. However, the new replacement tissue is weak which makes some bones easily susceptible to fracturing, breaking, and damage. 

The earliest reports of Paget’s disease were found in ancient Roman remains, but little is known about the history, origin, and evolution of the disease. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/">University of Nottingham</a> and a team of collaborators analyzed excavated remains from the priory dating back to the <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/skeleton-reveals-hints-leprosy-spread-medieval-europe/">Medieval period</a>. Six out of the 130 skeletons excavated contained a strange form of Paget’s. 

As much as 75 percent of the skeletons of some individuals were affected by the disease. The researchers also calculated an age of death as low as 35 for some of the individuals directly due to the disease. 

“We identify an ancient and atypical form of Paget’s disease of bone (PDB) in a collection of medieval skeletons exhibiting unusually extensive pathological changes, high disease prevalence, and low age-at-death estimations,” the researchers wrote in their study, which was published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2019/04/24/1820556116">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>. 

The team sequenced DNA from the preserved remains and used RNA and protein analysis to identify an ancient protein similar to one called p62, which plays a fundamental role in Paget's disease today. 

“Detection of ancient p62 as one of the few noncollagenous proteins in skeletal samples (bones and teeth) based on a combination of peptide sequencing and Western blotting is strongly indicative of a diagnosis of PDB…,” the researchers wrote. 

Paget’s disease is believed to have originated in Western Europe and the UK. 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Paul Quigley

Medieval skeletons reveal bone disease that killed people as young as 35

Skeletons excavated from Norton Priory in England contain a rare...

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine warned on Monday that collision with an asteroid large enough to destroy a U.S. state or a European country is a real possibility. At the Planetary Defense Conference in Washington, D.C., Bridenstine suggested that more action is needed to protect our planet from meteor crashes. 

“We have to make sure that people understand that this is not about Hollywood, it's not about movies,” said Bridenstine. “This is about ultimately protecting the only planet we know right now to host life, and that is the planet Earth.”

“We know for a fact that the dinosaurs did not have a space program. But we do, and we need to use it,” he added.

A meteorite that exploded over the Russian city of Chelyabinsk in 2013 injured more than 1,500 people and had 30 times the energy of the Hiroshima atomic bomb. According to Bridenstine, a much larger object approached the Earth just 16 hours later that failed to make an impact. 

“I wish I could tell you that these events are exceptionally unique, but they are not,” said Bridenstine. “These events are not rare - they happen. It’s up to us to make sure that we are characterizing, detecting, tracking all of the near-Earth objects that could be a threat to the world.”

While scientific models predict that a meteor crash will only occur once every 60 years, Bridenstine pointed out that destructive meteorites have struck our planet three times in the last century.

In 2018, the White House released the National Near-Earth Object Preparedness Strategy and Action Plan, an 18-page document outlining the steps that NASA and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will take over the next decade to prevent dangerous <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/asteroid-diversion-projectile-impacts/">asteroid</a> strikes.

The action plan requires NASA to detect, track, and characterize 90 percent of near-Earth objects measuring 460 feet in diameter, but the agency is still working to meet that goal.

“We’re only about a third of the way there,” said Bridenstine. “We want more international partners that can join us in this effort. We want more systems on the face of the Earth that can detect and track these objects, and we want to be able to feed all of that data into one single operating system so that ultimately, we have the best, most accurate data that we can possibly get.”

[caption id="attachment_1871991" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/esa.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1871991" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/esa.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="974" /></a> The flow of actions that would take place between global agencies and organizations, Image Credit: ESA[/caption]

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

NASA head warns more work is needed to protect Earth from a major asteroid

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine warned on Monday that collision with...

Last fall, Chinese biophysicist He Jianku shocked the world when he announced the successful <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gene-edited-dna-twin-babies/">birth of twins with edited genomes</a>. What followed was a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/china-gene-edited-babies-illegal/">large scale condemnation of the project</a> from the scientific community regarding the lack of any scientific review and consideration for the ethical ramifications. 

The “CRISPR Baby Scientist” claimed to disable a specific gene using CRISPR technology to ensure that the twins would not become infected with HIV during their lives. 

There are concerns that in disabling the gene, He inadvertently opened the door for other mutations that could cause health problems. 

Although the end goal is seemingly admirable, the lack of safeguards and disregard safety procedures has caused an uproar. 

The question is now that Pandora’s box has been opened, how can the scientific community proceed with CRISPR research in a safe, ethical, and methodical way?

Arthur Caplan, a medical ethicist from<a href="https://med.nyu.edu/education"> New York University’s School of Medicine,</a> addressed this matter of CRISPR ethics in a new paper published in the journal <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3000223">PLOS Biology</a>. 

Caplan argues that the latest controversy highlights the need for established and rigorous standards for such research dealing with genomes and germline gene therapy. 

“A deep understanding of the mechanisms and potential side-effects of embryo editing is an absolute pre-requisite to any further discussion of its implementation,” Caplan wrote. “At present, human embryonic editing, particularly in regard to how DNA is repaired, following an induced break, is poorly understood.”

It’s important to note moratoriums on embryo gene editing were in place before He conducted his experiment. 

Caplan recommends that an oversight organization including review boards and ethics committees be formed specifically to enforce and regulate future CRISPR research. 

This organization could ensure that no studies involving improperly and unethical practices are published, and that participants are properly informed before consenting to any experiments. 

“It is not sufficient to establish that germline research ought to be temporarily halted or cautiously proceed despite ethical lapses,” said Caplan.  “Regulation and penalties need sufficient bite to assure the public that renegade science has no future in designing our descendants.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Rigorous standards needed in the wake of CRISPR baby crisis

Last fall, Chinese biophysicist He Jianku shocked the world when...

According to Professor Jose Maria Madiedo of the <a href="http://uhu.es/english/">University of Huelva</a>, and Dr. Jose L. Ortiz of the <a href="https://www.iaa.csic.es/en">Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia</a>, a space rock traveling at roughly 38,000 miles per hour collided with the Moon during the January total eclipse. They believe the collision resulted in a crater spanning 10 to 15 meters wide.

The <a href="http://www.earth.com/image/the-lunar-eclipse-over-lake-maggiore/">eclipse</a> took place on January 21st, 2019, and was visible from North and South America, and Western Europe. 

During the eclipse, the Moon took on a reddish hue as it moved into the shadow of the Earth. When the Moon entered into totality, meaning it was completely in shadow, observers saw a flash on the Moon’s surface. The flash was reportedly bright enough to be seen with the naked eye.

[caption id="attachment_1871966" align="aligncenter" width="486"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/moon-impact.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1871966" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/moon-impact.jpg" alt="" width="486" height="493" /></a> The flash from the impact of the meteorite on the eclipsed Moon, Image Credit: J. M. Madiedo / MIDAS[/caption]

Madiedo and Ortiz, who published their research in <a href="https://academic.oup.com/mnras">Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society</a>, operate the <a href="https://www.cosmos.esa.int/documents/549247/643223/Madiedo_The_MIDAS_project.pdf">Moon Impacts Detection and Analysis System (MIDAS)</a> program in southern Spain. They were able to record the 0.28 second-long impact via MIDAS, making this collision the first-ever space rock impact to be recorded during a lunar eclipse.

Because the Moon does not have a protective atmosphere like the Earth does, even the smallest of rocks can hit its surface. Most of these impacts happen so quickly that the rocks are vaporized almost immediately, thus producing a plume of debris that can be seen from Earth.

Thanks to the MIDAS recording, Madiedo and Ortiz can conclude that the rock that hit the Moon had a mass of about 45 kg, measured 30 to 60 centimeters across, and hit the Moon’s surface at 61,000 kilometers per hour. The impact was equal to about 1.5 tonnes of TNT, and the debris produced was likely about as hot as the Sun at 5400 degrees Celsius.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

A space rock smashed into the Moon during the January eclipse

According to Professor Jose Maria Madiedo of the University of...

Engineers at the <a href="https://uci.edu/">University of California, Irvine</a> (UCI) have created a space blanket that mimics the adaptive skin of some sea creatures. Unlike similar materials already available on the market, the temperature of the new blanket can be adjusted. 

Study co-author Alon Gorodetsky is an associate professor of Chemical &amp; Biomolecular Engineering at UCI.

“Ultra-lightweight space blankets have been around for decades - you see marathon runners wrapping themselves in them to prevent the loss of body heat after a race - but the key drawback is that the material is static,” said Professor Gorodetsky. “We've made a version with changeable properties so you can regulate how much heat is trapped or released.”

The design was inspired by the dynamic skin of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/octopus-farming-overfishing/">cephalopods</a>, such as squids and octopuses. Species in this class have unique skin cells called chromatophores that can instantly switch from minute points to flattened disks, allowing the animals to rapidly change colors. 

“We use a similar concept in our work, where we have a layer of these tiny metal 'islands' that border each other,” explained study lead author and UCI graduate student Erica Leung. “In the relaxed state, the islands are bunched together and the material reflects and traps heat, like a traditional Mylar space blanket. When the material is stretched, the islands spread apart, allowing infrared radiation to go through and heat to escape.”

According to Leung, the new fabric is lightweight, easy and inexpensive to manufacture, and is durable enough to be stretched and returned to its original state thousands of times.

Professor Gorodetsky said that he has many applications in mind, including tents that would be exceptionally comfortable in outdoor environments and material that could protect valuable electronic components by effectively managing the temperature.

Clothing would be a particularly good application for the bio-inspired material, added Professor Gorodetsky, who collaborates on research projects with athletic apparel manufacturer Under Armour Inc.

“The temperature at which people are comfortable in an office is slightly different for everyone. Where one person might be fine at 70 degrees, the person at the next desk over might prefer 75 degrees. Our invention could lead to clothing that adjusts to suit the comfort of each person indoors. This could result in potential savings of 30 to 40 percent on heating and air conditioning energy use.”

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

Newly designed space blanket was inspired by the skin of squid

Engineers at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) have created...

Fifty million years ago, the Indian subcontinent changed history when it smashed into what is now Asia. The collision caused a ripple effect, changing geography, landscape and climate.

It also raised the levels of oxygen in the ocean, which changed the conditions for life on Earth.

"These results are different from anything people have previously seen," said lead author Emma Kast, a graduate student at <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/">Princeton University</a>. "The magnitude of the reconstructed change took us by surprise."

Kast created a timeline measuring levels of nitrogen in the ocean from about 70 million years ago – shortly before most of the dinosaurs went extinct – to 30 million years ago. She used fossilized seashells to chart how the oceans changed over time in what her co-author, Dr. John Higgins, called a fundamental contribution to geoscience.

While conducting the research, Kast and her team looked at 15N and 14N, nitrogen’s two stable isotopes. They found that in the 10 million years after the extinction of most of the dinosaurs, the 15N-to-14N ratio was high, which is common in oxygen-poor waters. That changed suddenly about 55 million years ago, when the Indian subcontinent shifted toward Asia. 

At first, the scientists expected a climate event to be the cause of the change in ocean oxygen, but that wasn’t the case.

"Contrary to our first expectations, global climate was not the primary cause of this change in ocean oxygen and nitrogen cycling," Kast said. 

Instead, plate tectonics and the shifting of the Indian subcontinent appeared to be the driving factor. The move closed off Tethys, an ancient sea, changing the ocean’s circulation.

The study has been published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.aau5784">Science</a>. Funding was provided by the <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/">National Science Foundation</a>, the <a href="https://www.mpg.de/en">Max Planck Society</a>, the Tuttle Fund of the Princeton University Department of Geosciences and the <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association</a>. 

—

By Kyla Cathey, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> staff writer

When Indian subcontinent met Asia, the oceans were changed

Fifty million years ago, the Indian subcontinent changed history when...

Work stress and poor sleep have been linked to a higher risk of heart-related deaths in employees who have high blood pressure by a new study. 

The problem seems to start with work stress that is severe enough to disrupt sleep. A third of the working population have hypertension, and research has shown that stress can have a stronger effect on people with existing cardiovascular issues than healthy people.

"Sleep should be a time for recreation, unwinding, and restoring energy levels. If you have stress at work, sleep helps you recover,” study author Dr. Karl-Heinz Ladwig said in a press release. “Unfortunately poor sleep and job stress often go hand in hand, and when combined with hypertension the effect is even more toxic."

Ladwig, a professor at the <a href="https://www.helmholtz-muenchen.de/en/index.html">German Research Centre for Environmental Health</a> and the <a href="https://www.tum.de/en/">Technical University of Munich</a>, led a study of 1,959 workers from ages 25 to 65, who have high blood pressure without other cardiovascular disease or diabetes.

They found that those who reported high work stress and sleep issues had a three times higher risk of death from a cardiovascular incident than those who reported little stress and good sleep. Workers who only had work stress had a 1.6 times higher risk, and those with sleep issues alone had a 1.8 times higher risk.

The study, published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2047487319839183">European Journal of Preventive Cardiology</a>, monitored workers over about 18 years. It defined work stress as a job with high demand and low control.

"If you have high demands but also high control, in other words you can make decisions, this may even be positive for health," Ladwig said. "But being entrapped in a pressured situation that you have no power to change is harmful."

Impaired sleep included both trouble falling asleep and difficulty staying asleep. 

The results mean that doctors may want to begin asking patients with hypertension about their work stress and sleep habits, and develop appropriate strategies based on that. Employers should also add sessions educating their employees about stress management and sleep hygiene. 

"These are insidious problems," Ladwig said. "The risk is not having one tough day and no sleep. It is suffering from a stressful job and poor sleep over many years, which fade energy resources and may lead to an early grave."

—

By Kyla Cathey, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Work stress can be bad for your sleep – and your heart

Work stress and poor sleep have been linked to a...

A new aircraft that is capable of flying for long periods of time without an engine has been launched for a test run. The aerial vehicle, known as The Phoenix, was designed to propel forward by rapidly transitioning between being heavier and lighter than <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-shorten-life-expectancy/">air</a>.

Andrew Rae, a professor of Engineering at the <a href="https://www.uhi.ac.uk/">University of the Highlands and Islands</a>, led the development of the aircraft.

“The Phoenix spends half its time as a heavier-than-air aeroplane, the other as a lighter-than-air balloon,” explained Professor Rae. “The repeated transition between these states provides the sole source of propulsion.”

“The vehicle's fuselage contains helium to allow it to ascend and also contains an air bag which inhales and compresses air to enable the craft to descend. This motion propels the aeroplane forwards and is assisted by the release of the compressed air through a rear vent.” 

The Phoenix was tested over a distance of 394 feet in continuous laps at an indoor storage facility in Portsmouth. The vehicle, which is also called an ultra-long endurance autonomous aircraft, is 49 feet in length and weighs about 265 pounds.

“Current equivalent aeroplanes are very complex and very expensive. By contrast, Phoenix is almost expendable and so provides a user with previously unavailable options.”

According to the researchers, the test flight was the result of a three-year project to investigate the effectiveness of variable-buoyancy for powering a large aircraft. The team is now looking to collaborate with major manufacturers to move into the next phase of development.

The project has been supported by Innovate UK, the UK's Innovation Agency, and the Aerospace Technology Institute.
--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: University of the Highlands and Islands

Scientists test new aircraft that flies with no engine

A new aircraft that is capable of flying for long...

At the present, <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/larsen-c-ice-shelf-melting/">Antarctica’s melting ice sheets</a> are responsible for about 20-25% of global sea level rise. With this number being so high currently, those percentages are only destined to increase, right? According to new research from <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=7387">NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> at the <a href="https://www.caltech.edu/">California Institute of Technology</a>, the future of the melting ice sheets may not be so dismal.

This research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

Scientists at the Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) have discovered a way to make current sea-level models, used to predict long-term effects of climate change on global oceans, more accurate. And by tweaking the models, the scientists also unraveled how Antarctica’s ice sheets and corresponding sea level rise will look like centuries from now.

"Unlike most current models, we included solid Earth processes — such as the elastic rebound of the bedrock under the ice, and the impact of changes in sea level very close to the ice sheet," said first author Eric Larour of the JPL. "We also examined these models at a much higher resolution than is typically used — we zoomed in on areas of bedrock that were about 1 kilometer instead of the usual 20 kilometers."

Ultimately, the scientists estimated that projections for the next 100 years are within about 1% of previous projections for that same time period. But, in looking further into the future, they noticed something interestingly unexpected.

"We found that around the year 2250, some of these solid Earth processes started to offset the melting of the ice sheet and the consequent sea level rise," Larour said. In layman’s terms, these Earth processes will actually begin to slow down the melting of the ice sheets.

By 2350, the scientists predict that the slowdown will cause the melting of the ice sheet to contribute 29% less to global sea level rise than previous predictions estimated.

"One of the main things we learned was that as grounded ice retreats inland, the bedrock under it lifts up elastically," said coauthor Erik Ivins. "It's similar to how a sofa cushion decompresses when you remove your weight from it. This process slows down the retreat of the ice sheet and ultimately the amount of melting."

Although it is good news that the melting will slow, the scientists say that their findings must be put into perspective. “It's like a truck traveling downhill that encounters speed bumps in the road," Larour said. "The truck will slow down a bit but will ultimately continue down the hill,” meaning that the ice will continue to melt and sea levels will continue to rise, just at a slower pace than previously predicted.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: NASA/James Yungel

NASA scientists share some ‘good news’ about melting ice sheets

At the present, Antarctica’s melting ice sheets are responsible for...

A new study published in the journal Astrobiology has revealed that the threats posed by toxic fungi in space are not only unknown but are also understudied. The team has concluded that much more research is needed to determine if mycotoxins are harmful for <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/space-impact-human-body/">astronauts</a> on the International Space Station and other spacecrafts.

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by fungal sources such as black mold. The toxic chemicals often cause nausea, diarrhea, and memory loss. In the long term, mycotoxins can even lead to immune deficiency or cancer.

A team of researchers in Belgium set out to investigate how toxic fungi may affect the health of astronauts. The experts reviewed what little published research they could find, and discovered a major lack of scientific evidence to support their investigation. 


Study co-author Professor Sarah De Saeger is based in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at <a href="https://www.ugent.be/en">Ghent University</a>. The professor told <a href="https://www.livescience.com/">Live Science</a> that her team found “almost nothing” related to mycotoxins in space. 

Professor De Saeger found this concerning because the fungi that have been identified on spacecraft, such as Aspergillus flavus and members of the genus Alternaria, are known to produce carcinogenic and immune-depressing compounds. She told Live Science that these potentially harmful molecules often form when fungi are stressed, and the conditions in space are conducive to stress. 

The research team has determined that new techniques should be developed for monitoring the air and surfaces of vehicles in space. Professor De Saeger emphasized that the presence of mycotoxins does not necessarily pose a serious threat to astronauts. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://home.liebertpub.com/publications/astrobiology/99">Astrobiology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Health threats posed by toxic fungi in space are still unknown

A new study published in the journal Astrobiology has revealed...

Tara au milieu des glaces en Arctique

When we think of viruses, we usually think about the common cold, influenza, and viral infections, but we typically don’t imagine the oceans to be teeming with viruses. 

However, that’s just what an international team of researchers discovered after conducting the first-ever global survey of virus diversity <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coral-reef-microbes-day-night-rhythms/">in the oceans</a>. 

After analyzing water samples collected aboard a sailboat called the Tara as part of the <a href="https://oceans.taraexpeditions.org/en/m/about-tara/les-expeditions/tara-oceans/">Tara Oceans</a> project, researchers identified nearly 200,000 marine viruses. 

The study, published in the journal Cell, is helping to shed important insight on issues like the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems and the evolution of viral species. 

“Viruses are these tiny things that you can't even see, but because they're present in such huge numbers, they really matter,” said Mathew Sullivan, the senior author of the study. “We've developed a distribution map that is foundational for anyone who wants to study how viruses manipulate the ecosystem. There were many things that surprised us about our findings.”

The Tara project began in 2006 in an effort to better predict the impacts of climate change on marine processes through exhaustive data collection and unique science experiments. 

For this study, a rotating team of researchers collected water samples at different depths between 2009 and 2013. The samples were then sent to different labs for analysis. 

Almost 200,000 marine viral species were identified in the samples, and each virus came from one of five ecological zones. 

The researchers also discovered that the Arctic Ocean is home to a biodiversity hotspot for marine viral species which was completely unexpected. 

Having a more fleshed out picture of marine viral species abundance, diversity, and location is important given the fact that marine microorganisms have a large influence on the ocean’s carbon storage capabilities and the amount of oxygen emitted from the ocean. 

“In the last 20 years or so, we've learned that half of the oxygen that we breathe comes from marine organisms,” said Sullivan. “Additionally, the oceans soak up half of the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.”

Marine viruses could help excess CO2 at the surface sink to the bottom, which in turn could help combat climate change and CO2 emissions. 

“Previous ocean ecosystem models have commonly ignored microbes, and rarely included viruses, but we now know they are a vital component to include,” said Sullivan. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: A. Deniaud Garcia/ Fondation Tara Ocean

Nearly 200,000 marine viruses identified in pole-to-pole ocean survey

When we think of viruses, we usually think about the...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



---



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



---



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



---



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



---



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



---



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



---



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

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



Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.stowers.org/">Stowers Institute for Medical Research</a> describes why experts are studying zebrafish to gain a better understanding of how the immune system responds to injury. Zebrafish have the ability to repair and regenerate organs.



“Organ regeneration offers an exciting opportunity for studying the immune system and to inquire why some species can regenerate organs like the heart or missing limbs while others like humans cannot,” explained Dr. Tatjana Piotrowski.



Zebrafish sensory organ hair cells are an ideal system to investigate the pathways and cell types involved in regeneration since they are easily destroyed with antibiotics and begin regenerating within five hours. This enabled the researchers to identify the exact timing and genetic programs for each anti-inflammatory macrophage activation state.&nbsp;



“Our hypothesis is that human macrophages do not receive the proper chemical activation 'cocktail' to instruct pro-regenerative processes,” said Dr. Nicolas Denans. “Identifying the molecular recipe of macrophage activation in zebrafish may one day enable us to design regenerative immunotherapies in humans.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“The new evidence is a valuable resource for comparative studies on the genetic programs involved in macrophage-mediated repair and regeneration. In other words, different types of injuries may induce different kinds of inflammatory responses. We want to decipher whether this 'language' is universal or if there are a variety of dialects."



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



---



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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

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



Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes how record-breaking heat expressed itself around the world in 2022.



Scientists have determined that 2022 was the 5th warmest year since 1880. Furthermore, the last nine consecutive years have been the warmest on record.



From devastating floods and wildfires to natural disasters like Hurricane Ian, 2022 showed us yet again how a warming climate affects people across the globe.&nbsp;



"As we look back at 20:22 and years past, we see that each year we better understand the challenges we face and how important it is to meet them," says NASA.



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



---



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



---



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

News coming your way