Everyone talks about mindfulness these days. People say it helps with stress, improves sleep, and makes life calmer. But here is a question: can meditation actually sharpen your focus? Turns out, it can.



A new study from the <a href="https://gero.usc.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology</a> reveals something surprising: just thirty days of guided mindfulness meditation can change how quickly and accurately people focus. Age does not seem to matter here.



This is not about feelings or guesswork. Researchers used eye tracking, a tool that shows exactly where your <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mindfulness-meditation-is-a-powerful-weapon-against-chronic-pain/">attention</a> goes. 



“This study shows that mindfulness isn’t just about feeling more relaxed - it can literally change the way your brain handles attention,” said Andy Jeesu Kim, the study’s first author. “And that’s incredibly important for maintaining cognitive health as we age.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-focus-fades-with-age">Why focus fades with age</h2>



As people get older, their brains <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/meditation-can-rapidly-reduce-ptsd-without-revisiting-trauma/">slow down</a>. They do not react as fast. Distractions take over easily.



This happens because of a brain system called the locus coeruleus–noradrenaline system. It controls attention, memory, and alertness - and it weakens with age.



Professor Mara Mather from the USC Leonard Davis School has studied this system for years. She found connections between its decline and early Alzheimer’s disease.



Earlier research hinted that mindfulness could strengthen this brain system. Meditation might boost areas that help with focus. But no one had tested this idea using precise eye-tracking methods - until now.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meditation-s-effect-on-focus">Meditation’s effect on focus</h2>



The researchers did not just ask people how mindful they felt. They watched their eyes when they recruited 69 people. Some were young adults. Others were middle-aged or older.



Half of the group practiced mindfulness meditation using the Headspace app. Just 10 to 15 minutes each day. The other half listened to an audiobook for the same amount of time.



Three times, participants visited the lab. They did visual tasks that measured how fast and accurately they could focus. Their eyes revealed everything. Every glance, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/meditation-rewires-the-emotional-centers-of-the-brain/">distraction</a>, or quick decision.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-attention-improves-with-practice">Attention improves with practice</h2>



After a month of mindfulness meditation, something changed. People began reacting faster - their eyes moved directly to the right target, they ignored distractions more easily, and it didn’t matter how old they were.



“We expected older adults to benefit the most, but we found that mindfulness improved attention similarly across young, middle-aged, and older adults,” Kim said. “This suggests mindfulness can be a useful tool at any stage of life.”



Oddly, when the participants filled out mindfulness questionnaires, their answers did not change much. They did not <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-meditation-and-critical-thinking-matter-in-the-age-of-ai/">feel</a> different. Their brains, however, told a different story.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-second-test-backs-meditation">Second test backs meditation</h2>



The findings did not end there. Another study backed them up. Once again, participants practiced mindfulness meditation using Headspace for 30 days. 



The researchers tracked their eye movements while they performed attention tasks, examining both proactive focus and reactive responses. Reaction times improved again. People’s eyes became quicker - regardless of age.



However, not every gain came from meditation. Some improvements likely came from practicing the task itself. But meditation clearly sped up their visual attention.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meditation-works-quietly">Meditation works quietly</h2>



The second study confirmed something interesting. Meditation did not boost self-reported mindfulness. People did not feel much different.



But their eyes told a different tale. They reacted faster, spotted targets quicker, and showed subtle changes in focus.



This tells us something crucial. You might not notice the benefits of meditation right away. Yet your brain could already be working better in the background.



Both studies found that age did not limit the benefits. Young, middle-aged, or older, everyone improved.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sharper-focus-for-daily-needs">Sharper focus for daily needs</h2>



People often think mindfulness is just about peace and calm. But these studies reveal something bigger.



Mindfulness can sharpen the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/action-observation-network-human-brain-perception-see-what-we-expect-to-see-mind-eye/">brain</a>’s attention. This affects everyday activities. Driving. Reading. Holding a conversation. Even crossing the street.



Sure, the audiobook group also improved a little. That is likely because they practiced the task more. But the meditation group improved faster and more clearly.



Mindfulness does not just make people feel calmer. It changes how the brain works with attention.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-on-meditation">Future research on meditation</h2>



The researchers are not done yet. They want to see what happens with longer mindfulness meditation programs. Could more time bring stronger results? They are also curious whether these quick gains stick around long term.



“We’re excited about the potential of digital mindfulness interventions to help people support their brain health,” Kim said. “It’s simple, low-cost, and widely accessible. The key is consistency.”



Mindfulness may seem small. Just a few minutes a day. But it is clear. It can quietly improve your brain’s focus, no matter your age. And all it takes is a little patience and practice.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.eneuro.org/content/early/2025/06/26/ENEURO.0356-23.2025" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eNeuro</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.



-----

Mindfulness meditation can rewire your brain for sharper focus

Everyone talks about mindfulness these days. People say it helps with stress, improves sleep, and makes life calmer. But here is a question: can meditation actually sharpen your focus? Turns out, it can. A new study from the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology reveals something surprising: just thirty days of guided mindfulness meditation can change how quickly and accurately people focus. Age does not seem to matter here. This is not about feelings or guesswork. Researchers used eye tracking, a tool that shows exactly where your...

The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/relict-megafauna/">giant ground sloths</a> that trudged across the Earth millions of years ago weighed thousands of pounds and could measure as long as 20 feet in length. These long-since extinct herbivores could prop themselves up on their hind legs to reach twigs and leaves in trees. 

The discovery of a giant ground sloth fossil has helped shed light on a year in the life of the sloth as it’s diet changed to adapt to variations in climate and vegetation. 

The fossil was discovered in a sink-hole in Belize by divers, and Jean T. Larmon, a Ph.D. candidate at the <a href="https://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign</a> analyzed a fossilized tooth from the remains along with a team of researchers. 

Carbon dating and studying fossil teeth can be challenging if the tooth lacks enamel, and the researchers soon realized that isotopic analyses on certain layers of the sloth’s tooth were inaccurate. 

Without enamel, some of the layers were more impacted by sedimentary processes that eventually led to fossilization than others. 

A sloth’s teeth, like other herbivorous species, continue to grow throughout its life and so the fossil represented a unique opportunity to study dietary changes over time if the researchers could find the right layers to analyze.

[caption id="attachment_1868816" align="aligncenter" width="700"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/sloth-graphic.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1868816" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/sloth-graphic.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" /></a> Giant ground sloth, Graphic by Julie McMahon[/caption]

Larmon and colleges analyzed carbon and oxygen stable isotope data from 58 samples collected from a single tooth of the fossil. The samples were collected from three layers of the tooth: the cementum and the outer and inner orthedentin. Cathodoluminescence microscopy was used to evaluate the data and ensure accuracy. 

The carbon and oxygen isotope data differed from layer to layer, but the inner orthedentin layer seemed to have withstood the chemical and physical sedimentary processes over the years, and so that layer was used to date the tooth. 

The researchers found that the tooth was around 27,000 years old and the sloth lived during the Last Glacial Maximum. 

The variations in oxygen isotopes in the tooth indicated that the sloth lived during a year divided by short wet seasons and one long dry season and likely eat grass and shrubs during the wet seasons. 

The study, published in the journal Science Advances and backed by the <a href="https://www.aaas.org/">American Association for the Advancement of Science</a>, shows that sloths in Belize changed their diets depending on the season and ate what was available. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Main Image Credit: Stanley Ambrose

Fossilized tooth sheds light on the diet of the giant ground sloth

The giant ground sloths that trudged across the Earth millions...

Paleontologists at <a href="https://vt.edu/">Virginia Tech</a> have identified the fossil remains of what may be the oldest frogs in North America. The fragments of Chinle frogs, which measure smaller than a pinky nail, represent the first known Salientia from the Late Triassic around 216 million years ago.

The scientists analyzed several small pieces of hip bones from Chinle frogs, which are indirect ancestors of modern <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/frogs-charm-city/">frogs</a>. The specimens were named after the Chinle Formation of Arizona where they were found in May of 2018.

“This new find highlights just how much there is still to learn about the Late Triassic ecosystem, and how much we find when we just look a little closer,” said study co-lead author Professor Michelle Stocker. “We're familiar with the charismatic archosaurs from the Chinle Formation, but we know that based on other ecosystems, they should make up a small percentage of the animals that lived together. With this new focus we're able to fill in a lot of those missing smaller components with new discoveries.”

The hip bones were long and hollow and had a hip socket that was offset rather than centered. Professor Stocker said that the bones were so small that the Chinle frog could fit on the end of your finger.

“These are the oldest frogs from near the equator,” said Professor Stocker. “The oldest frogs overall are roughly 250 million years old from Madagascar and Poland, but those specimens are from higher latitudes and not equatorial."

Professor Sterling Nesbitt added, “Now we know that tiny frogs were present approximately 215 million years ago from North America, we may be able to find other members of the modern vertebrate communities in the Triassic Period.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rsbl">Biology Letters</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Virginia Tech

Scientists find fossils of the oldest known frogs in North America

Paleontologists at Virginia Tech have identified the fossil remains of...

Up-cycling plastics

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a lightweight and waterproof plastic commonly used to make containers and packaging. From the food you eat to the water you drink, chances are good that it was packaged in PET.

PET is also fully recyclable, and yet millions of tons of PET <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/billions-tons-plastic-thrown/">end up in landfills or the oceans</a> every year where it takes hundreds of years to break down. When PET is recycled, it can only be used again once or twice after the recycling process and is much less valuable the second time around.  

But now, researchers from the <a href="https://www.nrel.gov/">U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory</a> (NREL) have developed a new recycling process that effectively upcycles PET into a more valuable material with a longer lifespan.

A study detailing the new recycling process was published in the journal JOULE and reveals how the new recycled material could be used in a wide range of products. 

“The process we came up with is a way to ‘upcycle’ PET into long-lifetime, high-value composite materials like those that would be used in car parts, wind turbine blades, surfboards, or snowboards,” said Greg Beckham, the senior author of the study.

The researchers combined recycled PET with renewable materials like plant-biomass and developed two fiber-reinforced plastics that are two to three times more valuable than PET.  

PET upcycling would also require 57 percent less energy to produce than other recycling processes and would emit fewer greenhouse gasses. The key is to find a way to process the new upcycled material on a large scale.

“The idea is to develop technologies that would incentivize the economics of PET reclamation,” said Beckham. “That's the real hope--to develop ‘second-life’ upcycling technologies that make single-use waste plastic valuable to reclaim. This, in turn, could help keep waste plastic out of the world's oceans and out of landfills.”

The researchers plan to continue studying upcycled PET and finding efficient ways to make the process feasible for manufacturing and 100 percent recyclable. For now, the materials combined with PET in the study, although durable and long lasting, are not recyclable at the end of their life, according to the researchers.

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Dennis Schroeder / NREL

New method ‘upcycles’ plastic to give it a more valuable second life

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a lightweight and waterproof plastic commonly...

You may remember the great public debate surrounding the photograph of a dress that quickly became a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/28/business/a-simple-question-about-a-dress-and-the-world-weighs-in.html">viral sensation in 2015</a> after the public could not agree on its color. 

Was it blue with black stripes or white with gold stripes? The two color schemes were so different that the internet exploded when it became clear that so many people perceived the same image so differently. 

Now, a new study of colorful snail shells has once again revealed that people see and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hormone-see-color/">categorize some colors differently</a>. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/">University of Nottingham</a> first categorized analyzed the color of Cepaea nemoralis (grove snail) shells and then measured the shells using a spectrometer to see if there were differences in the way people saw the color of shells. 

The study was published in the journal Heredity, and the researchers explain how the ability to accurately identify and categorize colors is crucial to how we classify species and to our understanding of evolution. 

Grove snails are common across Europe, and their shells can be yellow, brown, and pink. The color of the shell may have evolved in response to the snail’s preferred habitat or to evade predators.

If there are documented color changes that have evolved in a species, like if a grove snail’s shell changed color, researchers can work understand what environmental factors prompted the change. 

However, it’s important to know what color that snail’s shell is in the first place.  If researchers studying the snails see different colors, it represents of a problem in classifying them.

[caption id="attachment_1868714" align="aligncenter" width="700"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/snail-shells.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1868714" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/snail-shells.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="343" /></a> Snail shell color variations, Image Credit: Daniel Ramos Gonzalez[/caption]

“The shell patterns and colour are hugely variable - almost like a snail fingerprint. As scientists, to ensure the accuracy of our studies and the subsequent interpretation, it is important that we have a reproducible measure of colour,” said Angus Davison, the leader of the study. “The problem is that there are obvious differences in how humans perceive and categorise their colour, making it very difficult to compare the different types.”

For the study, Davison and a Ph.D. student categorized grove snail shell colors by eye. The snail shells were then measured with a spectrometer which measured the light that reflects off the shell to accurately identify the color of the shell. 

Yellow snail shells were accurately identified by eye and matched the yellow shells measured by the spectrometer. But the researchers found that humans struggled to agree on the color of brown or pink shells.

Now, the researchers have a better understanding of how people process and label colors which going forward could help with future studies examining color and evolution. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Main Image Credit: Dr Angus Davison/The University of Nottingham

Pink or brown? ‘The Dress’ debate returns, this time over snail shells

You may remember the great public debate surrounding the photograph...

When desert snakes encounter an obstacle, they bounce off the barrier and change direction like light waves. 

The s-shape slithering of a snake is a familiar sight, and researchers from the <a href="https://www.gatech.edu/">Georgia Institute of Technology</a> examined this sinusoidal wave-like movement to better understand how limbless snakes deal with obstacles they can’t see. 

After setting up a test arena on shag carpet to mimic the sandy conditions of a desert, the researchers observed snakes as they slithered through a set of six pegs to determine how the snake interacted with obstacles. 

The team found that the snake moved similarly to light waves after diffracting or bouncing off of an obstacle and separating into separate beams of light. 

A snake will not deliberately change course if it encounters an obstacle but instead passively bend with the obstacle and shift direction. 

“The idea behind passive dynamics is that there are waveform shape changes being made by the animal that are driven entirely by the passive properties of their bodies,” said Perrin Schiebel, the lead author of the study. “Instead of sending a signal to activate a muscle, the interaction of the snakes' bodies with the external environment is what causes the shape change. The forces of the obstacles are pushing the snake bodies into a new shape.”

The researchers recorded 253 snake trips to determine and model a pattern in the snakes’ movements.

[caption id="attachment_1868690" align="aligncenter" width="699"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/snake.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1868690" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/snake.jpg" alt="" width="699" height="466" /></a> A Western shovel-nosed snake moves through rubber pegs, Image Credit: Allison Carter, Georgia Tech[/caption]

The snakes were released one and time and temporarily blindfolded using harmless face paint, and for each trip, the researchers nudged the snakes through the pegs. When the snake encountered a peg, it didn’t move in a straight line but continued through the shag carpet in a waveform, exiting the pegs at a different angle. 

“When we put the snakes down in the arena, they started moving using the same waveform they use on desert sand,” said Schiebel. “They would then encounter the dowel grating, pass through it, and continue on the other side still using that waveform.”

Modeling the snake’s patterns illustrated how the pegs scattered the snake’s movements. 

“We think the snake is essentially operating in a model that control engineers would consider 'open loop,’” said Daniel Goldman, a member of the research team. “It is setting a particular motor program on its body, which generates the characteristic wave pattern, and when it collides with the obstacle, its body mechanics allow it to deform and move the posts without degrading its speed.”

The results, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could have important implications for improving autonomous <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/spider-robots-electronic-bees/">robots</a> designed to move through complex environments. 

“One problem with robots moving in the real world is that we don't yet have principles by which we can understand how best to control these robots on granular surfaces like sand, leaf litter, rubble or grass,” said Goldman. “The point of this study was to try to understand how limbless locomotors, which have long bodies that can bend in interesting ways using potentially complicated neuromechanical control schemes, manage to move through complicated terrain.”

The researchers say the engineers could use the passive movements of snakes to develop snake-like robots that can easily maneuver through obstacles. 

“We think that our discoveries of the role of passive dynamics in the snake can facilitate new snake robot designs that will enable them to move through complex environments more fluidly,” said Goldman. “The goal would be to build search and rescue robots that can get into these complex environments and help first responders.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Slithering snakes bounce off of obstacles like light waves

When desert snakes encounter an obstacle, they bounce off the...

Scientists devise groundbreaking technique to turn CO2 back into coal. For the first time ever, scientists have managed to convert carbon dioxide back into solid coal. The groundbreaking technique developed by researchers at <a href="https://www.rmit.edu.au/">RMIT University</a> in Melbourne uses liquid metals to transform <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/high-co2-levels-stratus-clouds/">CO2</a> from a gas into solid particles of carbon.

Most of the technologies that have been proposed for carbon capture and storage involve pumping CO2 underground after it has been compressed into a liquid form. However, progress has been hindered by environmental concerns and engineering challenges. Scientists devise groundbreaking technique to turn CO2 back into coal 

Dr. Torben Daeneke explained that converting CO2 back into a solid form could be a more sustainable approach.

“While we can't literally turn back time, turning carbon dioxide back into coal and burying it back in the ground is a bit like rewinding the emissions clock,” said Dr. Daeneke. “To date, CO2 has only been converted into a solid at extremely high temperatures, making it industrially unviable.”

“By using liquid metals as a catalyst, we've shown it's possible to turn the gas back into carbon at room temperature, in a process that's efficient and scalable. While more research needs to be done, it's a crucial first step to delivering solid storage of carbon.”

Study lead author Dr. Dorna Esrafilzadeh developed the electrochemical technique to capture atmospheric CO2. In order to convert it, the researchers designed a liquid metal catalyst with surface properties that made it extremely efficient at conducting electricity while chemically activating the surface.

The carbon dioxide is dissolved in a beaker containing an electrolyte liquid and a small amount of the liquid metal. After the metal is charged using an electrical current, the CO2 slowly converts into solid flakes of carbon. Dr. Esrafilzadeh explained that the solid carbon produced in this process could also be used as an electrode.

“A side benefit of the process is that the carbon can hold electrical charge, becoming a supercapacitor, so it could potentially be used as a component in future vehicles. The process also produces synthetic fuel as a by-product, which could also have industrial applications,” said Dr. Esrafilzadeh.

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

Scientists devise groundbreaking technique to turn CO2 back into coal

Scientists devise groundbreaking technique to turn CO2 back into coal....

A well-preserved skeleton found in France is giving experts new insight into the anatomy and movement of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/neanderthals-first-home/">Neanderthals</a>. After virtually reconstructing the specimen’s pelvis and spine, researchers at the <a href="https://www.uzh.ch/en.html">University of Zurich</a> (UZH) discovered that Neanderthals walked upright just like modern humans. 


Early reconstructions of Neanderthals gave the impression that these early humans had poor posture and walked only partially upright. These observations, however, were primarily based on the skeleton of an elderly male Neanderthal. 

For many decades, scientists have been aware that Neanderthals shared many similarities with modern humans. In recent years, the focus has shifted back to studying the differences. Study lead author Martin Haeusler, a specialist in Evolutionary Medicine at UZH, said, “Focusing on the differences is back in fashion.”

For example, recent studies have concluded that Neanderthals did not have a well-developed curved spine. These findings were based on the analysis of a few isolated vertebrae. But now, the UZH team has found evidence to suggest otherwise.

[caption id="attachment_1868575" align="aligncenter" width="700"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/neanderthals.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1868575" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/neanderthals.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="841" /></a> Image Credit: Martin Häusler, UZH[/caption]

The researchers virtually reconstructed the skeleton from La Chapelle-aux-Saints. The computer model showed that Neanderthals had a curved lumbar region and neck, just like modern humans today. 

The reconstruction of the pelvis revealed that the sacrum was positioned just like that of modern humans, which suggests that Neanderthals possessed a lumbar region with well-developed curves. When they pieced the individual lumbar and cervical vertebrae together, the experts found that this curvature was even more pronounced.

Furthermore, wear marks in the hip joint of the skeleton indicates that Neanderthals had an upright posture similar to how we carry ourselves today.

“The stress on the hip joint and the position of the pelvis is no different than ours,” said Haeusler. “On the whole, there is hardly any evidence that would point to Neanderthals having a fundamentally different anatomy.” 

“Now is the time to recognize the basic similarities between Neanderthals and modern humans and to switch the focus to the subtle biological and behavioral changes that occurred in humans in the late Pleistocene.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Neanderthals walked with the same upright posture as modern humans

A well-preserved skeleton found in France is giving experts new...

For many drought-prone arid regions of the world, rain is a welcome relief that helps replenish watersheds and nourish crops. However, the same rain that helps plants survive can also spread <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-battle-deadly-fungus/">plant diseases</a> through the impact of raindrops.

For the first time, the spread of pathogens after a raindrop hits an infected plant has been observed using a high-speed video camera.

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.schmalelab.spes.vt.edu/">Schmale Lab at Virginia Tech</a> and Jung Lab at <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a> recorded rain splashing on leaves of wheat plants infected with rust fungus. The team found that the impact creates a kind of microscopic tornado that sends spores into the air where they can be carried over long distances.

Rainfall can spread diseases and devastate entire crop yields. But this new study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), could help create preventive measures to stop spores from spreading when it rains.

[caption id="attachment_1868572" align="aligncenter" width="700"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/raindrop-spores.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1868572" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/raindrop-spores.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="295" /></a> Image Credit: Virginia Tech[/caption]

“Previous studies only focused on wet-dispersed spores following raindrop impact,” said David G. Schmale III, a co-author of the study. “We are the first to demonstrate tornado-like air vortices that result from raindrop impact. These microscopic tornadoes may help transport plant pathogens over long distances.”

To better understand the physics of spore dispersal after the impact of a raindrop, the researchers used high-speed cameras to capture and slow down images of the aftermath of a raindrop splashing onto a wheat plant infected with rust fungus. 

The researchers saw the raindrop created a mini-vortex of swirling spores that carried the plant pathogens onto air currents.

“Our lab specializes in high-speed imaging and fluid mechanics,” said Sunghwan Jung, an author of the study. “We used a high-speed video camera to visualize rust spores being liberated from an infected wheat leaf. We observed thousands of spores being transported in air vortices following raindrop impact. That was quite surprising.”

The study provides insight into spore dispersal following a period of rain, which could help farmers better manage their crops and reduce the spread of disease. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Raindrops release mini-tornadoes of spores from infected plants

For many drought-prone arid regions of the world, rain is...

There have been great strides made in genetically modifying plants to become more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drought-resistant-plants-enhanced/">drought-resistant</a>. But current methods of genetic engineering are not always successful and are sometimes damaging to the plant. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.berkeley.edu/">University of California, Berkley</a> have created a new method of genetic engineering that seamlessly delivers genes into a plant’s nucleus using a carbon nanotube.

The nanotube injects the genes into the plant without the force or invasiveness of other gene delivery methods because the tube is tiny enough to easily slip through the plant’s cells. 

A new study, published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, shows that carbon nanotubes protect DNA and don’t inject genes directly into the genome.

“One of the advantages is just the time saved with a technology like this,” said Markita Landry, a co-author of the study. “But I think the major advances are going to be the ability to quickly and efficiently deliver genes to plants across species and in a way that could enable the generation of transgenic plant lines without integration of foreign DNA into the plant genome.”

[caption id="attachment_1868569" align="aligncenter" width="700"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/nanotubes.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1868569" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/nanotubes.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="910" /></a> Image Credit: UC Berkeley graphic by Ella Marushchenko[/caption]

Landry first made the discovery of nanotube delivery after using nanotube sensors to label plant cells. The nanotube, which measured about one nanometer in diameter, seamlessly slipped through the cell wall and the sensors made their way inside the cell. 

Landry and a team of researchers tested nanotubes for gene delivery by wrapping the gene for green fluorescent protein around a nanotube and injecting into an arugula leaf. Not long after being injected with the gene, the plant cells glowed green under UV light. 

The effect was not permanent, and soon the cells no longer contained the gene which the researchers say is a drawback. 

“When we look in the microscope seven to 10 days later, the expression is gone, the fluorescence is gone.” said Landry. “For scientists studying how plants work, expressing a gene for a short time can tell them a lot about the gene's role in the cell.” 

By using the Cas9 protein, key to CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, the researchers are hopeful that any edits to a plant’s genome would be permanent. 

The team tested nanotube delivery in tobacco and cotton plants, but more research is needed to understand why nanotube delivery works the way it does. 

“The amazing thing about these carbon nanotubes is that they're able to get past the cell wall and go into the nucleus or into the chloroplasts. It's a novel advance that's allowing us to really put in place the tools for genome editing,” said Brian Staskawicz, the scientific director for agriculture of the Innovative Genomics Institute, which is funding further work on CRISPR delivery by Landry and her team. “The next steps would be, can we deliver ribonucleic proteins or can we deliver mRNA or DNA that would actually encode CRISPR-Cas9?”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Nanotubes could help genetically engineer plants efficiently

There have been great strides made in genetically modifying plants...

The White House is moving forward with its plan to form a panel to review and challenge the scientific consensus on climate change.

As <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/white-house-panel-global-warming-threat/">we reported</a>, the Trump administration had announced plans for a similar <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/white-house-panel-global-warming-threat/">climate change committee spearheaded by fossil fuels advocate William Happer</a>.

Happer wanted to form an independent federal advisory committee, but the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/white-house-to-select-federal-scientists-to-reassess-government-climate-findings-sources-say/2019/02/24/49cd0a84-37dd-11e9-af5b-b51b7ff322e9_story.html?noredirect=on&amp;utm_term=.047db5eeab48">Washington Post</a> reports that the committee would be comprised of select federal scientists and would not be subjected to the same requirements of an advisory committee. The group will be selected by the <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/nsc/">National Security Council</a>. 

The goal of the plan has not changed, and the National Security Council’s new group will assess the threat of climate change to national security. The news comes after the president’s own administration published several reports stating that climate change was a threat to coastal military bases.

It’s a well-known fact that greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activities have driven up atmospheric CO2 concentrations and increased global temperatures.

President Trump has made his stance clear that he doesn’t agree with the overwhelming consensus that CO2 emissions from fossil fuels are leading to irreversible climate change.

Charles Kupperman, Deputy National Security Advisor, said that the President was unhappy with the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-denies-federal-climate-report/">National Climate Assessment</a> issued in November during a meeting on Friday February 22nd.

During that meeting, top government officials discussed the best way to go about forming a group to contest the findings of the National Climate Assessment, according to the Washington Post.

While the Trump administration argues that the panel is a way to thoroughly review and assess previous climate studies, critics fear that the committee will continue to deny the realities of climate change.

“I never thought I would live to see the day in the United States where our own White House is attacking the very science agencies that can help the president understand and manage the climate risks to security of today and tomorrow,” David Titley, a retired Rear Admiral, and former chief operating officer at the <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> (NOAA), told the Washington Post. “Such attacks are un-American.”

--

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>

White House to form panel to challenge climate change science

The White House is moving forward with its plan to...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.sfn.org/">Society for Neuroscience</a> has found that when people make eye contact, the same areas of their brains are simultaneously activated. The findings of the research suggest that eye contact in real-time provides the best foundation for effective social interaction.

A research team led by Norihiro Sadato, a professor at the National Institute for Physiological Sciences, used neuroimaging to study the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/predict-pain-brain-activity/">brain activity</a> of pairs of adults as they made eye contact. In particular, the experts used a technique called hyperscanning functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) imaging, which uses a video camera and screen in each person's fMRI scanner. 

As the partners stared into each other's eyes,  the researchers were able to compare their brain activity on the screens in real-time or with a 20-second delay. 

The study revealed that eye contact had a notable influence on when the partners blinked. The experts also found that eye contact led to increased activation of the cerebellum and enhanced connectivity within the limbic mirror system. 

The results suggest that real-time eye contact prepares the brain for socially  sharing with others. Previous research published in PNAS showed that our sensitivity to eye contact starts almost as soon as we are born. At just two days old, newborns were found to prefer the faces that gazed back at them. 

A separate study published in the journal Cognition found that eye contact has such a big influence on our mental state that it can be difficult to think clearly and perform tasks while maintaining a mutual gaze. The current analysis led by Sadato may help to explain the strong effect of eye contact on our cognitive control. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.eneuro.org/">eNeuro</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Eye contact activates the brain for social interaction

A new study from the Society for Neuroscience has found...

A hefty chest strike can have wildly different outcomes. In some cases – such as when a baseball player is hit by a ball – it can lead to death. But a well-timed blow to the chest can also reset a potentially fatal racing heart.

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.unibe.ch/index_eng.html">University of Bern</a> wondered why, and set out with colleagues from the <a href="https://www.epfl.ch/">École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne</a> to find the answer.

While scientists have long known that a chest strike can strain the heart muscle, they weren’t sure why or how hitting the chest could have such different outcomes. They suspected it could be connected to electro-mechanical signals that tell the heart when to contract or beat.

"The potentially fatal effects of blows to the chest are believed to be the result of rapid strains that adversely interfere with the transmission of electrical impulses thereby causing disruption of the heartbeat," said Dr. Stephan Rohr of the University of Bern, who initiated the study.

So the team of scientists worked together to create an experimental device that would allow them to study how bioengineered heart tissue reacts to sudden stress – mimicking how a real heart might react to a sudden chest strike. The device let them study how such a sudden strain affects the electrophysiological response of heart muscle.

"The carbon electrodes create the strain in the cardiac tissue and the gold ones measure the cellular electrophysiological response," said Dr. Herbert Shea of EPFL, a co-author of the study.

The team used rat cardiac cells for their research. 

The device was able to generate strains of 10 to 12 percent, similar to a heartbeat, but at much faster speeds than normal heart function. That allowed the team to mimic the effects of a chest strike.

But what they found was surprising. The sudden strains had very little effect on the heart tissue’s electro-mechanical response. In other words, a fatal chest strike doesn’t seem to interrupt the heart’s electrical signals as the researchers suspected.

"That means that we need to look into other possible explanations of what exactly happens during a deadly blow to the chest," Rohr said.

The team plans to test how connective tissues surrounding the heart muscle react to similar strains.

The study has been published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-08757-2">Nature Communications</a>.

—

By Kyla Cathey, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Exploring how a chest strike can kill or save

A hefty chest strike can have wildly different outcomes. In...

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



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



<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