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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

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

A new study suggests that humans are able to visually detect illness in other people within seconds. Experts believe that this could eventually be applied to artificial intelligence systems to warn us when we are sick.

Researchers found that small changes in facial expression can be identified as illness by the human eye in people with no medical training. A person who appears to be swollen in the face or tired, for example, is easily perceived as being sick.

According to the study, the most obvious subtle clues which tell us that another person is ill are droopy eyes or a pale face.

To examine the human ability to visually detect <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/socioeconomic-alcohol-related-death/">illness</a>, researchers injected volunteers with two solutions: one which was made up of sugar water and another which contained a chemical compound extracted from E Coli bacteria.

Images were captured of both groups two hours after the injections, and then shown to participants for a few seconds at a time. The study revealed that individuals could pinpoint the individuals who were sick 81 percent of the time.

“These results demonstrate that untrained people can, above chance level, identify acutely sick individuals from merely observing a photo for a few seconds,” wrote the study authors.

John Axelsson of the <a href="http://www.stressforskning.su.se/english/">Stress Research Institute</a> at Stockholm University is the lead author of the study.

“The photos here were taken in an experimental setting with neutral facial expressions only two hours after onset of a systemic inflammation,” said Axelsson. “This supports the notion that humans have the ability to detect signs of illness in an early phase after exposure to infectious stimuli.”

Axelsson pointed out that personalized applications may one day be able to alert us when we are sick. The study is published in the journal <a href="http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/">Proceedings B</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The human eye can detect illness in a matter of seconds

A new study suggests that humans are able to visually...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-bonobos-mimic-different-ways/">Bonobos</a> are a highly endangered species of great ape and are one of humans’ two closest living relatives.

As a result, bonobos are often used in scientific studies because of their close relation to humans. Behavioral studies of bonobos and chimpanzees can offer insights into human evolution and how and when humans adapted certain traits.

A new study has now found that humans and bonobos differ in a very distinct way: the preference for helpers and hinderers in an otherwise peaceful and co-operative society. 

Humans show a preference for helpers from a very young age, and even infants are able to differentiate helpers from hinderers, preferring the former. It makes sense as helpers are important to co-operation which is a core part of human interaction. 

Bonobos however, although equally able to distinguish hinderers from helpers, prefer hinderers. 

Researchers from <a href="https://www.duke.edu/">Duke University</a> led by Christopher Krupenye and Brian Hare were motivated to study bonobos because of a 2007 study that showed how humans prefer helpers. The researchers were curious if this was a trait developed early or later on in human evolution. 

The results of the study suggest that we grew to prefer helpers after our species diverged from  apes. 

The reason bonobos have an opposite preference could be related to the important role of dominance in their society. 

Hinderers, according to the researchers, may come across as more dominant which is why bonobos are drawn to hinderers rather than helpers. 

“Our experiments show that the issue is much more nuanced. Bonobos are highly socially tolerant in food settings and help and cooperate with food in ways that we don't see in chimpanzees. However, dominance still plays an important role in their lives,” said Krupenye. 

The study took place at<a href="http://www.lolayabonobo.org/"> Lola ya Bonobo</a>, a bonobo sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 

The researchers conducted several experiment to test how bonobos interacted with helpers and hinderers.

For one experiment, the bonobos were shown pictures of two-dimensional animated shapes that helped or hindered each other. The shapes were then cut out and placed on a slice of apple. 

The researchers observed which apple piece the bonobos chose to reach for first. Another experiment allowed the bonobos to choose between interacting with a human that they had observed either helping or hindering. The bonobos showed a preference for the hinderer everytime. 

Cooperation is a fundamental part of human nature and the researchers say their findings show that it may be an exclusively human trait developed later in our evolution. 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Christopher Krupenye

Bonobos offer insight into early human evolution

Bonobos are a highly endangered species of great ape and...

It’s widely known that alcohol isn’t exactly great for your body, especially when consumed in excess. But according to a new study from researchers at the <a href="http://www2.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/">MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology</a> in Cambridge, it can actually affect your genetics. The results found that alcohol can damage DNA in stem cells, which helps explain why drinking increases your risk of cancer.

The researchers gave diluted alcohol to mice, then used chromosome analysis and DNA sequencing to examine the genetic damage caused by acetaldehyde, which is a chemical produced when our bodies process alcohol. Their findings showed that acetaldehyde can break and damage DNA within blood stem cells, resulting in rearranged chromosomes and permanently altered DNA sequences within the affected cells. 

When stem cells become faulty, they can give rise to cancer. This is why it’s important for scientists to study how the DNA within stem cells becomes damaged. These new findings help us to understand how drinking alcohol increases the risk of getting 7 types of cancer, including common forms such as breast and bowel. 

“Some cancers develop due to DNA damage in stem cells,” explains Professor Ketan Patel, lead author of the study and scientist at the <a href="http://www2.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/">MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology</a>. “While some damage occurs by chance, our findings suggest that drinking alcohol can increase the risk of this damage.”

Beyond just looking at how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/socioeconomic-alcohol-related-death/">alcohol</a> damages DNA, the researchers also examined how the body attempts to protect itself against damage caused by alcohol. They found that the first line of defense is a family of enzymes called aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDH), which breakdown the harmful acetaldehyde into acetate, which our cells can use as a source of energy.

When mice lacking the ALDH enzyme were given alcohol, it was found that they suffered four times as much DNA damage in their cells compared to normal mice. Around the world, millions of people either lack these enzymes or carry faulty versions of them.

Cells also use a variety of DNA repair systems, which allow them to fix and reverse certain types of DNA damage. But they don’t always work and some individuals have mutations which prevent their cells from carrying out these repairs effectively. 

“Our study highlights that not being able to process alcohol effectively can lead to an even higher risk of alcohol-related DNA damage and therefore certain cancers,” explains Patel. “But it’s important to remember that alcohol clearance and DNA repair systems are not perfect and alcohol can still cause cancer in different ways, even in people whose defense mechanisms are intact.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Drinking alcohol increases cancer risk by damaging DNA

It’s widely known that alcohol isn’t exactly great for your...

When I volunteered in Equatorial Guinea for a sea turtle conservation project, I also volunteered to collect invertebrate specimens for researchers associated with the project.  

With an enthusiasm I now find shameful, I hunted down literally hundreds of gorgeous <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/western-monarch-butterflies-extinct/">butterflies</a>.  The insects caught in my net were delicately removed and killed with a quick squeeze to the thorax, as an entomology professor had taught me.  

Into jars of alcohol went invertebrates such as snails.  I packed everything.  Butterflies went into small glassine envelopes and the envelopes went with alcohol vial specimens into tin cans with plastic lids.  In the cans went old socks full of absorbent material to keep the whole dry.  Sometimes I’d lay the envelopes of butterflies out in the sun to dry for a while.  A tourist that visited our camp asked pointedly whether I was concerned about insect collections hurting the population.  I brushed the man off easily, citing insects quick reproduction and typically high population levels.  I also thought that the data garnered from the death of one insect more important to the survival of the species than the individual life.  

Likewise I helped collect cave dwelling invertebrates on expeditions in Colorado and Arizona.  I scrambled quickly, catching a potentially stinging centipede and popped him into a vial of alcohol.  I killed many such creatures in the name of science.  Cave populations are smaller and more fragile than the rainforest populations I terrorized in Africa.  

Since my personal heyday of collecting, I’ve thought long and hard about my actions and really questioned myself.  There aren’t a lot of answers come by easily.  A species collected in a remote tropical forest or obscure cave may very well be a species new to science, in fact it’s usually a hope of the broad spectrum collector.  If a species is new to science, it’s impossible to know the impact of a collection on the population or species as a whole.  With species as small as insects, numerous individuals and even populations may be killed indirectly from our actions every day.  The question lingers, how many species were wiped out by development without us even knowing?  

For many insects and other invertebrates, we have virtually no deep knowledge of species.  Most are nothing beyond a Latin name.  This means we don’t know anything about population numbers or how wide spread populations are.  We don’t know reproduction rates or mating behaviors for most ‘known’ insects.

The basis for collecting specimens is to root a species in the physical bedrock of a specimen collected.  In the past when illustrations were largely subjective and dependent on the skill of the scientist creating an illustration, this made sense.  Today when almost everyone carries an impressive digital camera in their pocket, this makes less sense.  Some scientists have argued that photographs, even photographs of insects, should be sufficient for scientific purposes.  

Another argument for making specimen collections is an argument rooted in conservation.  The argument goes that the documentation of biodiversity or even the beauty of life leads to protecting it.  Again photography seems to supply a ready answer. Indeed often are photographs of not just organisms but of landscapes and cultures serve the needs of preservation.  On the converse, if a government or organization isn’t acting in good faith, releasing a host of live animals to be observed may not serve a purpose, much less a museum specimen.  

There is ambivalent science on whether insects feel much in the way of pain.  Caterpillars have had their ‘feet’ mutilated and shown to walk ‘normally’.  All this really proves is that caterpillars don’t react in the same way we might.  Science like this justifies the Cartesian philosophy that animals are soulless machines acting without any emotion, thought or pain to their environment.  Anyone who’s played with a dog might find this notion suspect.  Likewise, anyone who’s dropped a Preying Mantis into an entomologist’s kill jar and watched the insect writhe while dying might find the notion the insect feels no pain unsettlingly cold and willfully ignorant.  I justified my own insect killing in numerous ways, telling myself data was more important than the individual life.  I told myself data could protect a species.  Meanwhile others collecting data in Equatorial Guinea watched helplessly as monkey populations plummeted year by year.  Perhaps what is needed is less data and more compassion; less specimens and more living individuals.                          

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Is specimen collection necessary for science and conservation?

When I volunteered in Equatorial Guinea for a sea turtle...

The results of a 2017 national public opinion survey from <a href="http://www.researchamerica.org/">Research!America</a> show that 67 percent of Americans have a positive perception of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/washington-march-science-earth-day/">science</a>. The analysis also demonstrates, however, that the majority of Americans are largely unaware of who is conducting scientific research and where.

Over half of the respondents to the survey support basing the country's medical and health policies on the best available science. The majority of participants also agree that scientific research should be used to shape public policies regarding education, infrastructure, and national defense. 

82 percent of the public considers scientists to be the most trustworthy spokespersons for science compared to elected officials and the media. Americans have the expectation that scientists will be the primary messengers for scientific issues, even those with policy implications. 

Despite this level of trust, scientists remain essentially invisible to the American public. 81 percent of respondents cannot name a living scientist, while 67 percent cannot name an institution or company that conducts medical research. In addition, only 21 percent of the population is aware that health research is conducted in all 50 states.

“The findings related to the visibility of scientists and the scientific community have been consistent over the past decade - woefully low - which indicates a need for stronger engagement between scientists and the public,” said Mary Woolley, president of Research!America. “In order for science to have a more prominent position in our national agenda, the public and their policymakers must hear more from scientists about the health and economic benefits of public and private sector research.”

When asked about whether or not progress in science and innovation will continue under the Donald Trump Administration, 46 percent of respondents said yes and 33 percent said no. Far more Republicans agreed with this statement than Democrats or Independents.

Furthermore, 79 percent of Americans surveyed agree that it is important for President Trump to make health research and innovation a high priority to assure continued medical progress. 71 percent of Americans report having confidence in scientific institutions, while just 46 percent have confidence in the President and only 31 percent put their full trust Congress. 

“Scientists must initiate productive conversations with candidates to connect the dots between research and finding solutions to health threats like Alzheimer's disease and the opioid epidemic,” said Woolley.

The results of the Research!America survey are available <a href="http://www.researchamerica.org/polls-and-publications/polls/public-opinion-polls">here</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Public has more confidence in scientists than in policy makers

The results of a 2017 national public opinion survey from...

Parasitic plants and pests are a major concern for farmers as they can damage crops and harvests. 

Researchers are scrambling to create crops that are resistant to parasites, diseases, and pests, and can handle harsher environments. 

However, in order to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/genetically-modified-cacao-chocolate/">genetically modify</a> crops to resist parasites and disease, researchers need to understand exactly how the parasite or disease in question attacks its host plant. 

A new study has revealed that the dodder, a parasitic plant that wreaks havoc on crops around the world, can stop its host plant’s defense system by silencing the expression of genes that guard against parasites. The dodder is then able to freely feed off the nutrients of its host plant. 

In short, the parasitic plant regulates and controls the genes of its host plant, and this is something that has never been recorded or seen before from parasite-host plant relationships. 

The study was conducted by researchers from <a href="http://www.psu.edu/">Penn State</a> and<a href="https://vt.edu/"> Virginia Tech</a> and published in the journal Nature.

The research team sequenced the microRNAs in tissue samples from the dodder plant, the host plant, and combinations of the two. 

MicroRNAs are small pieces of nucleic acid, the basic component of DNA and RNA that can bind to messenger RNAs which build proteins. 

If the microRNAs bind to the messenger RNA, it can halt the production of protein and silence the expression of important genes in the cells. 

“Dodder seems to turn on the expression of these microRNAs when it comes into contact with the host plant,” said James H. Westwood, a co-author of the paper. “What was really interesting is that the microRNAs specifically target host genes that are involved in the plant's defense against the parasite.” 

After sequencing and comparing the genomes of the different plants and plant combinations, the researchers found dodder microRNAs in the tissue of its host plant.

 The results also showed that messenger RNAs were reduced when exposed to microRNAs from the dodder plant. 

The dodder can specifically target the messenger RNA that activates the host plant’s defense system and siphon nutrients from its host. 

The study is important in showing how plant parasites and fungi can regulate the gene expressions of their host plant and could help future research in developing genetically engineered plants specifically able to resist this kind of attack 

 “So, with this knowledge, the dream is that we could eventually use gene editing technology to edit the microRNA target sites in the host plants, preventing the microRNAs from binding and silencing these genes,” said Michael J. Axtell, a fellow author of the study.  “Engineering resistance to the parasite in this way could reduce the economic impact of the parasite on crop plants.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Photo Credit: Penn State University

Parasitic plant can control the genes of its host plant

Parasitic plants and pests are a major concern for farmers...

Genome sequencing the remains of an infant that lived over 11,000 years ago has shed light on the earliest populations that migrated into the Americas. 

For the first time, researchers were able to find direct genetic traces of the earliest Native Americans and illustrate how people first entered Alaska in one wave rather than in several migrations. 

The new study was conducted by researchers from the Universities of <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">Cambridge</a> and <a href="http://www.ku.dk/">Copenhagen</a> and was published in the journal Nature. 

The researchers sequenced the genome of the remains of an infant girl discovered at the Upward Sun River archaeological site in Alaska 2013. 

The results of the gene mapping showed that the girl’s genetic information did not match either the Northern or Southern branches of the early Native Americans, but instead, belonged to a different population known as Ancient Beringians. 

There were connections between the Northern, Southern and Berginans genetics, suggesting that through time, the Ancient Beringians were possibly some of the first people to migrate into the Americas before separating into different groups. 

“We were able to show that people probably entered Alaska before 20,000 years ago,” said Professor Eske Willersle, the leader of the study. “It's the first time that we have had direct genomic evidence that all Native Americans can be traced back to one source population, via a single, founding migration event.”

Researchers believe that early settlers migrated to Alaska from Russia using a land bridge that spanned the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/north-american-ancestors-sooner/">Bering Strait</a>. However, there is some debate about when this occurred and if the Americas were settled in one migratory wave or several. 

For the study, the researchers compared genetic data from the archaeological remains of the infant girl with present-day Native American Populations and ancient Northern and Southern Native American genomes. 

The Ancient Beringians emerged 36,000 years ago, and the Beringian genome is closer to early Native Americans than Ancient Asian and Eurasian ancestors. 

“It looks as though this Ancient Beringian population was up there, in Alaska, from 20,000 years ago until 11,500 years ago, but they were already distinct from the wider Native American group,” said Jos Vctor Moreno-Mayar from the University of Copenhagen.

The study sheds light on ancient Native American migration, and gives convincing evidence for a single migratory event rather than multiple populations crossing the Bering Strait at different times before the end of the last Ice Age. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Genome research reveals when Native Americans first arrived

Genome sequencing the remains of an infant that lived over...

As <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chocolate-supply/">we reported</a> this week, the world’s chocolate supply is in danger of running out by 2050. Climate change could make conditions unsuitable for cacao plants to thrive and chocolate production would be unable to keep up with growing worldwide demand for the sweet treat. 

Every year, billions of pounds of chocolate are consumed around the world, and on average, people eat anywhere between <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2015/07/22/the-worlds-biggest-chocolate-consumers-infographic/#214ed78e4484">ten and twenty pounds </a>of the confectionary on an annual basis. 

Mars, the company behind some of the world’s most recognizable brands and bars such as Snickers, M&amp;Ms, and Twix, has big plans in order to ensure the cacao bean is safe from extinction. 

In September, the 35 billion dollar corporation pledged $1 billion as part of a plan to reduce the company's carbon footprint by 60 percent or more by 2050.

But the company is also partnering with researchers to work on genetically editing the cacao plant to withstand harsher conditions brought on by climate change. 

Mars, in collaboration with the <a href="http://berkeley.edu/">University of California Berkeley</a>, is exploring gene editing using  CRISPR-CAS9 technology on cacao plants. 

The ultimate aim is to make seedlings that can handle a warmer and drier climate. 

CRISPR allows scientists to make precise cuts in a strand of DNA, removing defective or detrimental portions of the DNA and replacing it with a healthy part that bonds with the DNA strand.

CRISPR could one day eradicate genetic diseases and is also being used create crops that have a fighting chance in the face of climate change. 

The Berkeley research team is headed by Jennifer Doudna, the creator of CRISPR, and the cacao plant is not the only crop that the team is working with. 

If successful, gene edited crops like the cacao plant could help ease global food shortages brought on by the weather extremes, drought, and diseases that climate change is projected to cause and worsen.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Genetically modified cacao could stop chocolate from running out

As we reported this week, the world’s chocolate supply is...

A new study from researchers at the <a href="http://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign</a> is contradicting what many experts believe about the cause of volcanic activity in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/yellowstone-eruptions-changed-planet/">Yellowstone</a>. 

The findings of the analysis indicate that a tectonic plate known as the Farallon Plate, which began descending below the continent of North America about 200 millions of years ago, may have triggered past volcanic eruptions in Yellowstone.

Scientists have long believed that a mantle plume, or abnormally hot rock that rises from the Earth's core, was responsible for this activity. 

“The heat needed to drive volcanism usually occurs in areas where tectonic plates meet and one slab of crust slides, or subducts, under another,” <a href="https://news.illinois.edu/view/6367/590721">said</a> study lead author Lijun Liu. 

“However, Yellowstone and other volcanic areas of the inland western U.S. are far away from the active plate boundaries along the West Coast. In these inland cases, a deep-seated heat source known as a mantle plume is suspected of driving crustal melting and surface volcanism.”

The “supervolcano” located beneath Yellowstone National Park last erupted 640,000 years ago, but the activity in this region dates back 17 million years. As the eruptions moved in a northeastern direction, records were left behind in the form of craters.

Because these tracks resemble the ones left behind from a mantle plume which developed the Hawaiian islands, many experts derived that a hotspot of rock in the Earth’s core must also be responsible for the past eruptions in Yellowstone National Park.

As a result of the current study, however, Liu and his colleagues have determined that the Farallon Plate is shifting the Earth’s mantle circulation. Computer simulations modeled by the team suggested that this interaction is the driving force behind the volcanic activity in Yellowstone.

“A robust result from these models is that the heat source behind the extensive inland volcanism actually originated from the shallow oceanic mantle to the west of the Pacific Northwest coast,” Liu told the <a href="https://news.illinois.edu/">Illinois News Bureau</a>. “This directly challenges the traditional view that most of the heat came from the plume below Yellowstone.”

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ngeo/">Nature Geoscience</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Could an ancient ocean plate be fueling Yellowstone supervolcano?

A new study from researchers at the University of Illinois...

After reevaluating a prehistoric fossil that was found on a Scottish Island almost 30 years ago, scientists are assembling a clearer picture of life during the Middle Jurassic Period. 

The 170 million-year-old jawbone, which appears to be that of a dog-like crocodile, was found within a rock at Duntulm Castle on the Isle of Skye. The fossil measured only around 3.5 centimeters in length. 

Experts captured high resolution x-ray images of the bone and derived that the ancient animal most likely resembled a scaly dog much more than it did a scaly alligator. The findings of the study suggest that the animal is from a family of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/take-look-brand-new-species-crocodile/">crocodiles</a> known as neosuchians.

Dr. Steve Brusatte is a vertebrate paleontologist and evolutionary biologist at the <a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/">University of Edinburgh</a>. 

According to <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html">MailOnline</a>, Dr. Brusatte said, “Bits and pieces of fossil crocodiles have been found on Skye before, but this is one of the nicer fossils, because it is a nearly complete jawbone. It tells us that small, dog-sized crocodiles lived in the lagoons of ancient Skye, during the same time dinosaurs were living on land.”

Dr. Brusatte also explained the significance of the tiny jawbone. 


“One reason why the new fossil is so important is because it is one of the few crocodile fossils from the middle part of the Jurassic Period from anywhere in the world.”

The Isle of Skye is one of the only places in the world where remains from the Middle Jurassic Period can be found. 

MailOnline quoted Dr. Brusatte as saying, “Skye is a unique window into the Middle Jurassic, as it is one of the few places globally that preserves fossils from this time. There are not only crocs, but also many dinosaurs, mammals, lizards, amphibians, and fish fossils found on Skye, and we keep finding more and more every time we go back.”

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Deadline News

Tiny fossil provides rare evidence of Jurassic crocodiles

After reevaluating a prehistoric fossil that was found on a...

A new study has sequenced the expansive genome of a species of salamander and the results could someday allow humans to regenerate lost limbs, organs, and damaged brain tissue. 

Many <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossilized-eggs-flying-reptiles/">reptiles</a> have regenerative capabilities, but the Iberian ribbed newt can regenerate limbs, organs, and even part of its brain, far surpassing the regrowth abilities of other salamanders and reptiles.

Until now there has been little known about the genome of salamanders and what it is about their DNA structure that gives them regenerative abilities. 

Researchers from<a href="http://ki.se/"> Karolinska Institutet </a>in Sweden successfully sequenced the genome of the Iberian Ribbed Newt. Salamander genomes are some of the largest genomes ever sampled, ranging from 14 to 120 gb. 

“It's only now that the technology is available to handle such a large genome,” said Professor Andras Simon from the Karolinska Institutet. “The sequencing per se doesn't take that long – it's recreating the genome from the sequences that's so time-consuming.” 

The Iberian ribbed newt genome contains around 20 billion DNA base pairs and is six times greater than the human genome. 

The researchers also identified a large number of copies of a microRNA group that is typically found in embryonic stem cells in mammals. 

The copies are likely what gives the newt it's impressive regenerative abilities as embryonic stem cells can transform into any other cell in the human body. 

The results could lay the groundwork for making tissue repair and limb regeneration a possibility for humans and vertebrates. 

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Salamander genome may hold the key to human limb regeneration

A new study has sequenced the expansive genome of a...

A scientific breakthrough in the world of agriculture could help crops grow in record time thanks to a new speed breeding technique. 

A research team from the <a href="https://www.jic.ac.uk/">John Innes Centre</a>, <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a>, and the <a href="https://sydney.edu.au/">University of Sydney</a> developed a speed breeding technique that accelerated wheat growth with immensely successful results.

A full cycle of wheat took only eight weeks from seed to harvest thanks to long, intense periods of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/photosynthesis-plants-started/">photosynthesis</a>, artificially aided with LED lighting.  

Speed breeding could be a necessity in the coming years with growing demand for food outweighing available land for productive and sustainable crop growth. 

“Globally, we face a huge challenge in breeding higher yielding and more resilient crops,” said Dr. Brande Wulff from the John Innes Centre, Norwich, a lead author on the paper. “Being able to cycle through more generations in less time will allow us to more rapidly create and test genetic combinations, looking for the best combinations for different environments.”

The researchers were able to speed up growth and breeding by creating fully controlled artificial environments with enhanced lighting. The intensified lighting sped up wheat growth from seed to harvest, aka seed to seed, in eight weeks. 

This technique could produce as many six generations of wheat in a single year. 

The lab environment could easily be replicated in a typical greenhouse, and the technique could work for many different vital crops. 

Other breeding methods currently being used today are not nearly so successful in their application as this new process.

One exciting result of the speed breeding technique is the opportunities it presents to the field of crop genetics. 

"Speed breeding as a platform can be combined with lots of other technologies such as CRISPR gene editing to get to the end result faster," said Dr. Lee Hickey, a member of the research team. 

The technique is already being welcomed by wheat breeders and has helped researchers in Australia develop wheat with a tolerance to pre-harvest sprouting, a huge problem for breeders in the country. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

A new technique could help crops grow in record time

A scientific breakthrough in the world of agriculture could help...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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