We hear about minerals all the time. Lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, and rare earth elements appear in the news almost every week.



These minerals power phones, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dirty-power-the-hidden-climate-cost-of-electric-vehicles/">electric cars</a>, and military equipment. Countries want them, companies want them, and the competition for the minerals keeps growing.



While leaders plan and companies race, some scientists study a different part of the story. They ask questions about where these minerals come from and how they move underground.



Geologist Zachary Burton works on these questions. He studies natural processes instead of using drills or machines.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rare-earth-elements-are-hard-to-find">Rare earth elements are hard to find</h2>



"Rare earth elements aren't technically rare - they are somewhat ubiquitous at very low concentrations - but highly concentrated, economically attractive deposits are indeed rare and hard to find," Burton explained.



In the Department of Earth Sciences at <a href="https://www.montana.edu/">Montana State University</a>, Burton has been studying these elements for almost 15 years.



The problem is simple. Scientists do not fully understand how these minerals move or gather in one place.



"That's in large part because we don't even know many fundamental scientific processes of why they concentrate in certain areas and how they're moving around," Burton said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-desert-deep-in-antarctica">A desert deep in Antarctica</h2>



Burton recently studied these minerals in a very cold place: <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctica-is-experiencing-rapid-plant-growth-concerning-scientists/">Antarctica</a>'s McMurdo Dry Valleys. This part of Antarctica is dry, windy, and extremely cold. It has unusual landscapes that look similar to other planets.



Burton’s team investigated how rare earth minerals move in this polar desert. They focused on salt ponds in the area, including Don Juan Pond, VXE-6 Pond, and Brine Pond Number 1.



The team found something intriguing. In Don Juan Pond, mineral levels were low in the center - likely because chemicals had washed them away.



However, minerals had gathered underground in two specific spots: one about 10 to 12 centimeters deep (roughly 4 to 5 inches) west of Don Juan Pond, and another about 4 to 7 centimeters deep (around 1.5 to 2.75 inches) beneath VXE-6 Pond.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-freezing-and-melting-moves-minerals">Freezing and melting moves minerals</h2>



The places with more minerals had another feature. The soil there contained clay-like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rare-meteorites-provide-a-window-into-the-early-solar-system/">materials</a>. These formed through chemical changes.



The reason for this process was clear. Water froze and melted many times. The ponds also changed in size. These actions moved the minerals.



Water carried the minerals. When the water froze, the minerals stayed behind in the soil. This cycle repeated many times. Over the years, minerals gathered just below the surface.



Burton explained that similar things can happen in other cold areas. He pointed to Greenland and Ukraine, two places that are often in the news for their mineral resources.



"Rare earths are an area that's been relatively neglected these past decades in terms of scientific research, but now - with these critical minerals constantly making headlines - there's a whole lot to be learned in terms of where deposits are," he said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-antarctica-to-other-planets">From Antarctica to other planets</h2>



Burton’s research is not only about Earth. It also connects to space. The Dry Valleys in Antarctica are similar to places on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-plan-terraform-mars-nanoparticles-would-make-it-habitable-for-humans/">Mars</a>. That makes them a good place to study processes that might also happen on other planets. 



Space agencies, such as NASA, need to find resources beyond Earth. Burton’s work may help them plan future missions.



The study also included diagrams that showed how minerals move underground. Water flows below the surface, freezes, and leaves minerals behind. These findings may guide future work in space.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rare-mineral-movement-in-hot-deserts">Rare mineral movement in hot deserts</h2>



Burton’s projects also focus on dry areas in the United States. He studies how minerals move in places like Nevada, Utah, and California’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/desert-lichen-may-offer-clues-to-life-beyond-earth/">Mojave Desert</a>. 



These regions are hot, dry, and full of desert basins. The goal is to understand how rare earth elements and lithium move and collect in such places.



Burton described the work as difficult but exciting. "It's a challenge and a scramble, but also very exciting, because there's a lot more for the world to learn in these areas."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-frontier-for-geology">A new frontier for geology</h2>



Montana State University is now focusing more on this type of research. Alison Harmon, vice president for research and economic development at the university, said these studies matter.



"This will be an area where MSU can make an important contribution to national security and economic development in Montana and beyond," said Harmon.



Burton’s research shows that minerals do not stay in one spot forever. Water, ice, and time keep moving them around. By studying how this happens, researchers can learn more about Earth’s resources and even about resources on other worlds.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165232X25001661?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cold Regions Science and Technology</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.



-----

Water and ice may reveal where rare earth elements are hiding

We hear about minerals all the time. Lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, and rare earth elements appear in the news almost every week. These minerals power phones, electric cars, and military equipment. Countries want them, companies want them, and the competition for the minerals keeps growing. While leaders plan and companies race, some scientists study a different part of the story. They ask questions about where these minerals come from and how they move underground. Geologist Zachary Burton works on these questions. He studies natural processes instead of...

The universe is expanding a faster rate than previously realized. according to new research that calls into the question the current <a href="http://cosmology.berkeley.edu/Education/CosmologyEssays/The_Standard_Cosmology.html">Standard Cosmological Model</a>.

<a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/cosmology/">Cosmologists</a> generally agree that the Big Bang birthed the universe as we know it around 13 billion years ago, and in its earliest stages, the universe underwent a rapid expansion. 

Our universe continues to expand today, and it was astronomer Edwin Hubble that first proved this fact by showing that galaxies were receding away from Earth. 

But measuring the rate of expansion is extremely difficult, and making sense of what exists beyond the realms of time and space is one of cosmology’s biggest challenges. 

Now for the first time, a team of researchers from <a href="https://www.dur.ac.uk/">Durham University</a> and the <a href="https://www.unifi.it/">Università degli Studi di Firenze</a> in Italy have found a way to measure the expansion of the universe starting from the Big Bang using quasars. 

Quasars lie at the core of a galaxy and supermassive black holes at the quasar are pulling in all surrounding matter at a fast rate. These supermassive black holes can be traced like beacons because as matter falls into the vacuum of the hole, large bright emissions of ultraviolet light are visible. 

Previously, cosmologists were only able to measure the rate of the expansion for the universe dating back four to five billion years.

For this study, the researchers found that supermassive black holes helped fill in the gaps and the researchers were able to measure the early rates of inflation after the Big Bang. 

Data from <a href="https://www.sdss.org/instruments/">Sloan Digital Sky Survey telescope</a> and the <a href="https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/xmm-newton">European Space Agency’s XMM-Newton Space Observatory</a> were reviewed and analyzed by the researchers. 

The results, published in the journal Nature Astronomy, showed that the universe is expanding much faster than previously realized. 

“Black holes are the most luminous persistent sources of the Universe and allow us to measure its expansion rate at very early times,” said Elisabeta Lusso, a co-author of the study in a European Space Agency <a href="https://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Active_galaxies_point_to_new_physics_of_cosmic_expansion/(print)">news release</a>. “Our results suggest that the early expansion of the Universe is different from that predicted by the Standard Cosmological Model. We may need to explore new physics, for example rethinking the potential properties of dark energy.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: ESA; NASA/ESA/Hubble (background galaxies); CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO

The universe is expanding faster than scientists had realized

The universe is expanding a faster rate than previously realized....

How life began on <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-trend-2018/">Earth</a> is one of our planet’s biggest mysteries, but astronomers may have just caught a major break in the case after the pre-biotic molecule glycolonitrile was detected 450 light-years away. 

Researchers from <a href="https://www.qmul.ac.uk/">Queen Mary University of London</a> were monitoring a young protostar in the star-forming region rho Ophiuchi light years away from our solar system called IRAS16293-2422 B and found evidence of a molecule believed to hold the key to the building blocks of life. 

The researchers published in their findings in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters.

Glycolonitrile has existed long before life on Earth which is why researchers think that the molecule could help shed light on how life got its start in our own Solar System. 

Glycolonitrile is a precursor to the formation of adenine, an essential part of DNA and RNA. 

The researchers analyzed data from the <a href="https://www.almaobservatory.org/en/home/">Atacama Large Millimeter/ submillimeter Array (ALMA) telescope</a> which was used to observe the star-forming region. Currently, the region is going through a phase that resembles the beginnings of our Solar System. 

The region contains many young stars just starting to evolve into their next phases surrounded by gas and dust. 

The telescope was able to pick up the chemical signature of glycolonitrile, and the researchers used modeling to better understand how the molecule itself forms. 

“We have shown that this important pre-biotic molecule can be formed in the material from which stars and planets emerge, taking us a step closer to identifying the processes that may have led to the origin of life on Earth,’ said lead author Shaoshan Zeng, from Queen Mary University of London in a <a href="https://www.qmul.ac.uk/media/news/2019/se/astronomers-find-star-material-could-be-building-block-of-life.html">news release.</a>

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Molecule 450 light-years away may unlock mysteries of life on Earth

How life began on Earth is one of our planet’s...

After conducting the largest study of its kind to date, researchers at the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a> have found that slim people have a genetic advantage when it comes to maintaining their weight.

Professor Sadaf Farooqi at the <a href="http://www.ims.cam.ac.uk/">Wellcome-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science</a>, University of Cambridge, and a team of colleagues, established the <a href="https://www.stilts.org.uk/">Study Into Lean and Thin Subjects (STILTS)</a> to better understand why some people maintain a <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/mindfulness-training-weight-loss/">healthy weight</a> without necessarily trying whereas others can’t. Similar previous studies have focused on those who are overweight, and such studies have found that multiple genes can increase a person’s chance of becoming obese. So, Farooqi and colleagues wanted to know if slim people house similar weight-related genes on the other side of the scale.

The team recruited 2,000 “thin” people (those with a body mass index (BMI) of less than 18 kg/m2), who were healthy and had no history with eating disorders. DNA samples were taken and participants answered several questions pertaining to their health and lifestyle.

Farooqi’s team then compared their DNA samples to those of Dr Inês Barroso's team at the <a href="https://www.sanger.ac.uk/">Wellcome Sanger Institute</a>. Together, the researchers analyzed the DNA of 1,622 thin participants from the STILTS cohort, 1,985 severely obese participants, and another 10,433 normal weight controls.

Besides the already discovered genetic variants that cause obesity, the team found new genetic areas that also controlled obesity and others that determined thinness. They used these variants to calculate a “genetic risk score” for each individual.  

"As anticipated, we found that obese people had a higher genetic risk score than normal weight people, which contributes to their risk of being overweight,” Dr. Barroso said. “The genetic dice are loaded against them.”

Furthermore, the team found that thinner people had a lower genetic risk score, meaning they had less genetic variants that determined obesity.

“This research shows for the first time that healthy thin people are generally thin because they have a lower burden of genes that increase a person's chances of being overweight and not because they are morally superior, as some people like to suggest," Professor Farooqi said. "It's easy to rush to judgement and criticise people for their weight, but the science shows that things are far more complex. We have far less control over our weight than we might wish to think.”

He continued, “We already know that people can be thin for different reasons. Some people are just not that interested in food whereas others can eat what they like, but never put on weight. If we can find the genes that prevent them from putting on weight, we may be able to target those genes to find new weight loss strategies and help people who do not have this advantage."

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Genetics help slim people maintain their weight, research shows

After conducting the largest study of its kind to date,...

Scientists at <a href="https://www.nyu.edu/">New York University</a> recently discovered how fish and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/birds-lead-flock-strongest-flyers/">birds</a> are able to stick together as a flock or school while traveling. They now know that the followers in the group interact with a wake left behind by the leaders.

“Air or water flows naturally generated during flight or swimming can prevent collisions and separations, allowing even individuals with different flapping motions to travel together," said lead author Joel Newbolt, a doctoral candidate in <a href="https://as.nyu.edu/physics.html">NYU's Department of Physics</a>. "Notably, this phenomenon allows slower followers to keep up with faster-flapping leaders by surfing on their wake."

Due to their findings, researchers now believe that this discovery could help them harness energy from natural resources like wind and rivers.

"While we currently use wind and water to help meet our energy needs, our work offers new ways to more efficiently leverage them as we seek new methods for enhancing sustainable practices," co-author Leif Ristroph, an assistant professor in <a href="https://www.courant.nyu.edu/">NYU's Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences</a>, explained.

Their evidence, published January 28th in the <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>, is based on a series of experiments involving a robotic “school” of two hydrofoils, which simulate wings and fins that flap up and down and swim forward. Although the flapping was controlled by a motor, the swimming forward motions were uncontrolled and simply the effect of the water pressure on the foils as they flapped.

The experiment proved that the pair of foils, both of which were flapping at different motions and speeds, can move together without colliding due to the follower relying on the wake left behind by the leader. The follower essentially “surfs” on said wake, and is either “repelled” or “pushed” by the wake if going too fast or lagging behind.

Scientists hope that this discovery can lend a hand in future energy harnessing from natural resources where this wake phenomenon occurs. 

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Studying animal locomotion may help scientists harness natural energy

Scientists at New York University recently discovered how fish and...

Spending time in space takes a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/moon-dust-toxic-health/">toll on astronauts</a>, and living in microgravity can impact the way the body’s fluids move. 

A new study has found that in space, an astronaut’s brain floats higher in the skull due to the amount of fluid build up at the base of the cerebellum.

The research, conducted by researchers at the <a href="http://www.ufl.edu/">University of Florida</a>, also produced brain scans of astronauts both before and after spaceflight that show changes in the brain’s white matter that corresponds with aging over the long term. 

Short spaceflights can cause as much damage to the brain as aging, and the researchers found changes in the areas of the brain responsible for processing sensory information and control.

However, the researchers also found that these changes were more severe during short missions, which indicates that astronauts may be able to adapt to the impacts of spaceflight during longer missions. 

The study was published in the journal JAMA Neurology and the researchers examined the brain scans of 15 astronauts before and after spending time in space. 

Brain scans taken post-spaceflight showed that fluid built up at the base of the cerebellum in space which pushed the brain higher up in the skull. The scans also showed white-matter deterioration during shorter missions that correlated with balance issues back on Earth. 

Although balance issues are typically only temporary for astronauts after spending time in space, the researchers hope to study brain scans of astronauts after six-month missions to see if the white matter changes last. 

As the world’s space agencies are laying the groundwork for manned missions to Mars, it’s crucial to understand how long-term spaceflight will impact astronauts. 

The researchers also say that the study has implications for people who lead sedentary lifestyles on Earth. 

“We have an increasingly sedentary lifestyle. It’s not the same as the effects on limbs in space, but if we’re laying around and not using our bodies, could the integrity of white matter pathways in the brain be affected?” Rachael Seidler, an author of the study, said in a University of Florida <a href="http://news.ufl.edu/articles/2019/01/spaceflight-changes-your-brain-pathways-.php">news release</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Time spent in space causes changes in the brain

Spending time in space takes a toll on astronauts, and...

Working together, a team of 11 scientists and engineers have managed to drill a hole measuring 1.3 miles deep in the Antarctic ice.

The <a href="https://www.bas.ac.uk/">British Antarctic Survey</a> team used a hot water drilling technique to drill down through a sheet of ice in West Antarctica to the sediment it covered.

“I have waited for this moment for a long time and am delighted that we've finally achieved our goal,” Dr. Andy Smith told the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html">Daily Mail</a> from the Rutford Ice Stream.

The hot water drilling technique has been in use for about three decades to provide scientists with access to areas below the Antarctic ice.

Using gas generators and aviation fuel-powered water heaters, the team heated the drill water to more than 190 degrees Fahrenheit. The hot water was used to blast a hole nearly a foot in diameter into the ice.

However, this is the deepest borehole that researchers have been able to drill in the Antarctic ice. The project in West Antarctica was first attempted 15 years ago, in 2004, but failed at the time. 

The first hole was completed on January 8, after 63 hours of drilling. The team finished a second hole on January 22. Instruments lowered through the holes in the Antarctic ice will record pressure, water temperature, and other data. 

“There are gaps in our knowledge of what's happening in West Antarctica, and by studying the area where the ice sits on soft sediment, we can understand better how this region may change in the future and contribute to global sea-level rise,” Smith told the Mail.

The study could help researchers better understand the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctica-increase-ice-mass-loss/">loss of mass in Antarctic ice</a>, particularly in the western part of the continent. The team plans to work at the site until mid-February, and work has already begun on a second site. 

“We know that warmer ocean waters are eroding many of West Antarctica's glaciers,” Dr. Keith Makinson told the Mail. “What we're trying to understand is how slippery the sediment underneath these glaciers is, and therefore how quickly they might flow off the continent into the sea. This will help us determine future sea level rise from West Antarctica with more certainty.”

The BAS team is working with researchers at the <a href="https://www.swansea.ac.uk/">University of Swansea</a>, the <a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a>, <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/">University College London</a>, <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/">Leeds University</a>, <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Pennsylvania State University</a> and the <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/">U.S. National Science Foundation</a> on the project.

--

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

&nbsp;

Team drills record 1.3-mile deep hole in Antarctic ice

Working together, a team of 11 scientists and engineers have...

Changing weather in the Pacific has one team of scientists concerned that carbon dioxide levels could spike in 2019.

Weather patterns in the Pacific Ocean swings regularly, and this year, the region is expected to be warmer than usual, scientists with the UK’s <a href="https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/">Met Office</a> predict. And the problem with that is how warmer weather affects plant growth and the carbon sinks provided by forests, jungles and grasslands.

“Since 1958, monitoring at the Mauna Loa observatory in Hawaii has registered around a 30 percent increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, Dr. Richard Betts said in a news release. “This is caused by emissions from fossil fuels, deforestation and cement production, and the increase would have been even larger if it were not for natural carbon sinks which soak up some of the excess CO2. This year we expect these carbon sinks to be relatively weak, so the impact of record high human-caused emissions will be larger than last year.”

In the past, carbon dioxide levels have risen sharply during El Niño years, with record spikes in 1997-98 and 2015-16. With a likely El Niño event this year, the Met Office is expecting high levels again. Some Pacific regions could see drier weather than normal this year, meaning fewer plants to help store atmospheric carbon. 

The Met Office predicts that, combined with <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/global-patterns-of-carbon-dioxide/">carbon emissions from human activity</a> trending upward, 2019 could see the highest spike in global carbon dioxide levels in more than 60 years of records. Levels will likely peak in May, then drop until fall before rising again.

“Looking at the monthly figures, it’s as if you can see the planet ‘breathing’ as the levels of carbon dioxide fall and rise with seasonal cycle of plant growth and decay in the northern hemisphere,” Betts said. “But each year’s CO2 is higher than the last, and this will keep happening until humans stop adding CO2 to the atmosphere.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Carbon dioxide levels could spike in 2019, scientists say

Changing weather in the Pacific has one team of scientists...

Last year, the planet actually cooled off a bit, but scientists say the global warming trend isn’t even close to being over. The year 2018 was still the fourth hottest on record, behind only 2015, 2016 and 2017. 

While both <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a> and the <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> have monitored temperatures for decades, their annual reports have been delayed by the partial federal government shutdown. But two other organizations have analyzed recent trends and found that 2018 was nearly as hot as the three years before it, bucking the warming trend possibly thanks to the La Niña phenomenon. 

One of these is <a href="http://berkeleyearth.org/">Berkeley Earth</a>, a nonprofit research center in California that has analyzed global temperatures since 2013. 

“Global mean temperature in 2018 was colder than 2015, 2016, and 2017, but warmer than every previously observed year prior to 2015,” Berkeley Earth researchers told the Associated Press. “Consequently, 2016 remains the warmest year in the period of historical observations. The slight decline in 2018 is likely to reflect short-term natural variability, but the overall pattern remains consistent with a long-term trend towards global warming.”

The organization based its conclusion both on its own records and the previous reports from NASA and NOAA, which found that the <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/91604/2017-was-the-second-hottest-year-on-record">five hottest years on record</a> have all occurred since 2010.

A second organization, the <a href="https://www.jma.go.jp/jma/indexe.html">Japanese Meteorological Agency</a>, also declared 2018 the fourth hottest year on record, the AP reported.

The new reports follow on several from November that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fourth-hottest-year-history/">predicted the year’s ranking</a>.

The 2018 dip doesn’t mean an end to the warming trend that has been heating Earth for years. 

“Though 2018 only ranks fourth overall, 2015 through 2018 still stand out as a period of significant warmth well above all previous years since 1850,” Berkeley Earth told the AP. “This reflects the long-term trend towards global warming.”

While it didn’t break global records, 29 counties and Antarctica had record hot years in 2018, Berkeley Earth climate scientist Zeke Hausfather told the AP.

“The long term is stunningly clear,” he said.

--

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Earth bucked the warming trend in 2018 – but only a little

Last year, the planet actually cooled off a bit, but...

Preparations are underway for a new expedition to explore uncharted depths of the Indian Ocean.

Many areas of the Indian Ocean and the Seychelles, an island nation off the coast of east Africa, have yet to be explored. The goal of the <a href="https://nektonmission.org/">Nekton Mission </a>is to take a first look at the deep Indian Ocean and see how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/indian-ocean-climate-change/">climate change is impacting the area’s underwater ecosystem</a>. 

The <a href="https://www.apnews.com/2d6bbd4d97ec48e3b75fcdcc44ff2dfc">Associated Press</a> reported this week that the Nekton Mission’s expedition vessel, the Ocean Zephyr, was getting ready to leave Bremerhaven, Germany. 

For the first part of the mission, researchers will work on mapping the seafloor and exploring the area with both human-crewed and un-crewed submarines and remotely operated submersibles. 

Sensors will also be dropped around the seafloor at depths of 6,560 feet around the Seychelles, according to the Associated Press. 

What’s exciting about this mission is that people from all over the globe will be able to monitor the progress and tune in and watch live broadcasts from underwater cameras. 

Oliver Steeds, a member of the research team undertaking the explorations, told the Associated Press that broadcasting the camera feeds is pioneering and will allow people to journey along with the expedition. The AP will also be accompanying the mission and recording the progress of the expedition. 

Understanding how climate change is impacting the Indian Ocean ecosystem is critical because so many people live near the ocean’s coasts. People in the Seychelles are already feeling the impacts of climate change with coral bleaching and changes in ocean temperatures. 

Changes in the Indian Ocean could potentially impact over two billion people in the region. The Seychelles are particularly of interest to the expedition because the country wants to start mining oil and gas from the ocean floor. 

However, in order to understand how a deep-sea mining operation would impact the Indian Ocean ecosystem, researchers must first find out what species live in the area. 

“Our ocean is undergoing rapid ecological transformation by human activities,” Callum Roberts, a trustee of the expedition, told the Associated Press. “Seychelles are a critical beacon and bellwether for marine conservation in the Indian Ocean and globally.” 

--

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>

New expedition will explore uncharted depths of the Indian Ocean

Preparations are underway for a new expedition to explore uncharted...

Research from the <a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/home">University of Edinburgh</a> has found that carbon dioxide emissions can be stored securely in underground rocks, even when geological faults are present. According to the study, there is little chance of the gas escaping from fault lines back into the atmosphere.

The findings confirm the reliability of an emerging technology known as Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), a process in which <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/co2-emissions-cost-us-economy/">CO2 emissions</a> from industrial activities are trapped and transported for underground storage.

The target of limiting global warming to below two degrees Celsius, as proposed by the 2015 UN Paris Agreement, may still be attainable if CCS and other climate mitigation strategies are widely adopted.

The latest findings, which are based on tests in a naturally occurring CO2 reservoir, may help to ease public concerns and promote the long-term storage of carbon dioxide in depleted gas and oil fields. 

The research team chemically analyzed a natural CO2 repository in Arizona to calculate the amount of gas that had escaped the underground reserve over nearly 500,000 years. The study showed that a very small amount of CO2 had escaped the site each year, an amount that was well within the levels needed for safe and effective storage.

Dr. Stuart Gilfillan said, “This shows that even sites with geological faults are robust, effective stores for CO2. This find significantly increases the number of sites around the world that may be suited to storage of this harmful greenhouse gas.”

Dr. Johannes Miocic added, “The safety of carbon dioxide storage is crucial for successful widespread implementation of much-needed carbon capture and storage technology. Our research shows that even imperfect sites can be secure stores for hundreds of thousands of years.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/scientificreports">Scientific Reports</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

CO2 can be stored securely underground without leaking through faults

Research from the University of Edinburgh has found that carbon...

We all know <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alzheimers-not-one-disease/">Alzheimer’s</a> to be characterized by mental deterioration as the disease destroys neurons and unhealthy plaques of proteins build up over time in the brain. 

But now, a new study published in the journal Science has found an important link between sleep deprivation and the accumulation of a protein called tau in the brain.

Getting enough sleep is crucial for health and wellbeing, and research has shown that as we sleep the brain flushes out unhealthy levels of tau and beta-amyloid proteins. 

While the latter, beta-amyloid, has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease risk, researchers from the <a href="https://medicine.wustl.edu/">Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis</a> found that sleep disruptions and sleep deprivation result in the accumulation of tau proteins in brain fluid. 

Tau is a protein in neurons, and during periods of wakefulness, neuron signaling releases tau into the brain’s interstitial fluid (ISF). Once tau starts building up in one region of the brain, it can spread to other parts of the brain. 

To better understand how sleep deprivation impacts tau accumulation, the researchers examined tau levels in the brain ISF of sleep-deprived mice. 

When the mice were awake 70 percent of their day, tau protein levels doubled and the longer the mice stayed awake, the quicker and more widespread the accumulation of tau became.  

The researchers also analyzed cerebrospinal fluid from humans that were sleep deprived and found that tau levels had increased even more than amyloid-beta levels in the samples. 

Studies have shown that sleep deprivation can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s, but this study indicates that tau levels, as well as amyloid-beta levels, should be considered in future Alzheimer’s research. 

The researchers also say that treating sleep deprivation could be an important preventative measure against developing Alzheimer’s disease.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Sleep deprivation can cause proteins to accumulate in the brain

We all know Alzheimer’s to be characterized by mental deterioration...

A team of scientists at the <a href="http://www.uky.edu/UKHome/">University of Kentucky</a> successfully assembled the genome of the axolotl, a <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/decline-giant-salamander/">salamander</a> species that is able to regenerate almost every part of its body. Having access to the complete genome may help scientists figure out regeneration in humans.

“It's hard to find a body part they can't regenerate: the limbs, the tail, the spinal cord, the eye, and in some species, the lens, even half of their brain has been shown to regenerate," said Randal Voss, a professor in the <a href="https://scobirc.med.uky.edu/">UK Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center </a>about the axolotl.

Voss and his colleague Jeramiah Smith, an associate professor in the <a href="https://bio.as.uky.edu/">UK Department of Biology</a>, adapted a classical genetic organization method called “linkage mapping” to efficiently assemble the massive axolotl genome in the correct order — a vital process necessary for understanding how the axolotl genome compares to the human genome. This is the first instance that a genome of this size has been properly assembled and organized.

"Just a few years ago, no one thought it possible to assemble a 30+GB genome," Smith said. "We have now shown it is possible using a cost effective and accessible method, which opens up the possibility of routinely sequencing other animals with large genomes."

Using the assembled axolotl genome, Voss and Smith identified a heart defect-causing gene, which thusly provides a new model of human disease.

"Biomedical research is increasingly becoming a genetically-driven enterprise," Voss explained. "To understand human disease, you have to see be able to study gene functions in other organisms like the axolotl."

He continued, "Now that we have access to genomic information, we can really start to probe axolotl gene functions and learn how they are able to regenerate body parts. Hopefully someday we can translate this information to human therapy, with potential applications for spinal cord injury, stroke, joint repair...the sky's the limit, really."

Voss and Smith’s work will appear in the February issue of <a href="https://genome.cshlp.org/">Genome Research</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Studying salamanders could open the door to human regeneration

A team of scientists at the University of Kentucky successfully...

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