Typical,Dormant,Volcano,(costa,Rica,,La,Fortuna).

Most people assume an extinct volcano lies silent forever. Yet in Bolivia, the long‑quiet <a href="https://volcano.si.edu/volcano.cfm?vn=355838" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Uturuncu</a> volcano keeps rumbling, forcing scientists to rethink what “dead” really means.



A new study mapped more than 1,700 tiny earthquakes to reveal why the mountain twitches instead of blows. 



<a href="https://www.earth.ox.ac.uk/people/mike-kendall" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Professor Mike Kendall</a> of the <a href="https://www.earth.ox.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Oxford</a>, who helped lead the project, calls the work a blueprint for decoding other restless peaks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-the-heat-hides">Where the heat hides</h2>



Beneath the Andes sits the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms13185" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Altiplano‑Puna Volcanic Complex</a>, an underground magma lake roughly the size of Lake Superior, making it the largest known melt body in Earth’s upper crust. 



That buried ocean feeds several peaks, including Uturuncu, keeping the so‑called zombie breathing.



Satellite surveys later showed the ground over this complex rising about 0.4 inches a year while ridges around it sag, forming the famous “sombrero” pattern. 



The deformation hinted at magma or fluids on the move, but the detailed plumbing stayed invisible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extinct-volcano-rumblings">Extinct volcano rumblings</h2>



The project relied on seismic tomography, a scan that tracks earthquake waves as they cross different rock types. Slow zones revealed melted or fluid‑soaked rock, whereas fast lanes flagged cooler, solid crust.



“Our results show how linked geophysical and geological methods can be used to better understand volcanoes,” stated Kendall. 



Analysts stitched those velocity patches into a three‑dimensional cutaway stretching nearly nine miles deep.&nbsp;



The image traced narrow conduits climbing toward the summit, then widening into a lens of bubbly brine and semi‑molten rock about three miles below sea level. 



That lens forms the top of a hydrothermal system, a pressurized mix of hot water, gas, and crystal mush.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-liquid-gas-and-false-alarms">Liquid, gas and false alarms</h2>



Pressure swings inside the shallow lens explain why the central cone inflates while surrounding valleys sink. 



Computer models show that slight upticks in carbon dioxide or water vapor push the crust upward before venting and letting the land relax.



“Understanding the anatomy of the Uturuncu volcanic system was only possible thanks to the expertise within the research team,” added <a href="https://earthquake.ustc.edu.cn/zhjen/main.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Professor Haijiang Zhang</a> of the <a href="https://en.ustc.edu.cn/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Science and Technology of China</a>. 



His comment underscores how petrophysics, chemistry, and fieldwork mesh to translate motion into meaning.



The group found no large pool of eruptible magma near the crater, cutting the odds of a sudden blast. Independent coverage affirms that Uturuncu remains restless yet harmless for now.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-zombie-myth-began">How the zombie myth began</h2>



Geologists label a volcano extinct when no eruptions have occurred for at least 10,000 years, so Uturuncu’s 250,000‑year hiatus easily qualifies. 



Local <a href="https://minorityrights.org/communities/aymara/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aymara communities</a>, however, have long reported wisps of sulfurous steam that seemed to challenge the textbook definition.



Seismic antennas first recorded runaway swarms in the late 1990s, and satellite radar soon confirmed a dome of uplift nearly 40 miles wide. 



Those two discoveries birthed the nickname “zombie,” suggesting a mountain that refuses to stay buried.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-roundup-of-extinct-volcanoes">Global roundup of extinct volcanoes</h2>



Uturuncu is hardly unique. The <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/how-many-active-volcanoes-are-there-earth" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">United States Geological Survey</a> counts about 1,350 potentially active volcanoes on land, though only 500 have erupted in recorded history.



“[The new toolkit could be deployed on] the more than 1,400 potentially active volcanoes and to the dozens of volcanoes like Uturuncu that aren’t considered active but that show signs of life,” noted co‑author <a href="https://www.engineering.cornell.edu/people/matthew-pritchard/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Matthew Pritchard</a>. 



Dozens, like Bolivia’s zombie, puff gas or shake but have not erupted since before human memory. 



When a mountain labeled extinct suddenly quakes, officials face a communication dilemma. People hear “extinct” and assume zero risk, yet geoscientists know Earth ignores such labels.



The <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/White-Island-volcanic-eruption-of-2019" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">White Island tragedy in 2019</a> showed how even well‑monitored peaks can surprise tourists with steam‑driven blasts. 



Though Uturuncu rises in a sparsely settled zone, mining projects and regional flights still depend on realistic alerts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-links-on-the-horizon">Climate links on the horizon</h2>



While Uturuncu lacks an ice cap, other dormant peaks may not stay quiet as the planet warms. 



A <a href="https://conf.goldschmidt.info/goldschmidt/2025/meetingapp.cgi" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a> to the 2025 Goldschmidt Conference warned that retreating glaciers can lift pressure off magma chambers and spark new eruptions in formerly sleepy regions.



Changes in rainfall could play a similar role in the high Andes by flushing extra groundwater into the crust, altering pressure in the hydrothermal lens and nudging the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/axial-seamount-large-underwater-volcano-off-us-coast-will-likely-erupt-in-2025/">volcano</a>’s elastic shell.



Tomographic scans cost far less than drilling and can be repeated every few years, giving planners a real‑time gauge of subsurface shifts. 



Coupled with satellite radar and gas sniffers, they let authorities move from folk wisdom to data when deciding evacuation thresholds.



Bolivian agencies have already installed new broadband seismometers around Uturuncu, and regional airports are integrating daily deformation bulletins into flight routing software.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-extinct-volcanoes">Tracking extinct volcanoes</h2>



Researchers aim to extend their sensor net across the southern Altiplano to watch fluid pathways shift with rainfall and seasons. Time‑lapse tomography could track magma recharge years before it punches into the gas cap.



Meanwhile the “sombrero” bulge will keep lifting and settling, a geological chest rise mistaken by outsiders for resurrection. 



For Kendall the marvel is not whether the mountain will reawaken but how finely researchers can now eavesdrop on its breathing.



Zombies make catchy folklore, yet Uturuncu shows that geology seldom follows the script. A <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-and-trees-predict-volcano-eruptions-when-viewed-from-space-satellites/">volcano</a> can seem to wake without ever intending to erupt because the fluids that once built it never stop moving.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2420996122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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Can an extinct volcano come back to life? Scientists think they found out

Most people assume an extinct volcano lies silent forever. Yet in Bolivia, the long‑quiet Uturuncu volcano keeps rumbling, forcing scientists to rethink what “dead” really means. A new study mapped more than 1,700 tiny earthquakes to reveal why the mountain twitches instead of blows. Professor Mike Kendall of the University of Oxford, who helped lead the project, calls the work a blueprint for decoding other restless peaks. Where the heat hides Beneath the Andes sits the Altiplano‑Puna Volcanic Complex, an underground magma lake roughly the size of...

In a new breakthrough, Japanese scientists successfully changed the color of a morning glory using the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing tool. By isolating one single gene in the plant’s DNA, scientists were able to change the flower’s purple hue to white. 

With the new technology, the team was able to do almost instantaneously what took nature 850 years to perfect. CRISPR has been used to successfully “edit” human embryos, but this is the first time that scientists targeted the color of plants. 

Conducted by researchers from <a href="http://www.tsukuba.ac.jp/en/">University of Tsukuba</a>, <a href="http://www.yokohama-cu.ac.jp/en/">Yokohama City University</a>, and the <a href="http://www.naro.affrc.go.jp/english/">National Agriculture and Food Research Organization </a>(NARO), the study used the Japanese morning glory as part of the <a href="https://shigen.nig.ac.jp/c.elegans/">National BioResource Project </a>in Japan. 

The researchers isolated a single gene, dihydroflavonol-4-reductase-B (DFR-B), which is responsible for the plant’s color. They then encoded the gene to deactivate enzyme production, which, in turn, changed the colors of the flower from purple to white. 

All in all, the study recorded the successful transformation of 75% (24 out of 32) of the morning glorys used for the experiment.

CRISPR works by removing and replacing gene mutations, allowing the DNA strand to repair itself sans the original mutation effectively.

CRISPR has been the subject of some <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/edit-genes-human-embryos/">controversy</a>, with the US intelligence community going so far as to call it a possible weapon of mass destruction. Other scientists and policy makers are hesitant to embrace CRISPR technology because of the ethical ramifications associated with it. 

Because CRISPR essentially acts as a gene “photoshop” kit that cuts away undesired gene mutations, isolating and targeting single genes and changing them, there is a concern that it could be used to create “designer babies.”

However, CRISPR could also create revolutionary gene therapies, eradicate many inherited diseases, and cure certain diseases like cancer by removing genetic mutations.

As experiments using CRISPR continue and its promising applications in curing disease are further evidenced, scientists, ethicists, and policy makers will need to work together to ensure the safety and success of gene editing without causing ethical issues.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Gene editing tool can change the color of plants

In a new breakthrough, Japanese scientists successfully changed the color...

Until now, identifying the exact age of a cell, or its stage in the lifecycle, was only possible after the cell had died. But new research has discovered an internal clock that can gauge a cell's lifespan and exact age in real time. 

Mapping the cell cycle and age of cells is important to scientists because it can help shed light on certain diseases and, in some cases, can contribute to increasing the longevity of cells. 

“With this discovery, which shows that the nucleus exhibits rapid fluctuations that decrease during the life cycle of the cell, we can enhance our knowledge of both healthy and diseased human cells,” said Alexandra Zidovska, senior author of the research and an assistant professor of physics at <a href="https://www.nyu.edu/">New York University</a> (NYU). 

Zidovska conducted the study alongside Fang-Yi Chu, an NYU doctoral candidate, and Shannon Haley, an undergraduate at NYU. 

The research, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), documents the researchers’ efforts to understand the cell nucleus and cell cycle better. 

Throughout a cell’s life cycle, the nucleus goes through drastic changes to its shape and size, but Zidovska’s study was able to capture these changes in real time and see how quickly the nucleus transformed in short periods. 

The researchers used a fluorescent microscope that allowed them to map the minute and rapid changes of the cell nucleus in <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/3d-laser-reveals-plant-cells/">living cells</a>. 

The team found that the nuclear envelope flickers over a few seconds, and the rapidity of these fluctuations decreases as the cell nears the ends of its cycle. This motion is the first physical feature that changes with the cell cycle, hence the term “internal clock.”

“Therefore, this process can serve as an internal clock of the cell, telling you at what stage in the cell cycle the cell is,” said Zidovska.

This research could also help document the development of certain disorders and developmental problems like muscular dystrophy, cancer, and cardiomyopathy by specifically focusing on the cell’s nucleus.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Researchers pinpoint internal clock in living human cells

Until now, identifying the exact age of a cell, or...

Childhood maltreatment may leave behind more than just bad memories. It could rewire how the brain responds to perceived threats. 

A team of researchers led by Dr. Floris Klumpers of <a href="http://www.ru.nl/english/">Radboud University</a> in the Netherlands studying the way that the human brain reacts to perceived threats discovered the difference between the brains of people who were maltreated as children and those with healthy childhoods.

The researchers were studying two different samples of adults and how they reacted to the proximity of a threat using neuroimaging. Neural activity tied to defensive responses shifts between two different areas of the brain – the amygdala and an area called the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis – when the subject reacts to a threat, the researchers found.

Both regions are activated in response to a threat, though how the brain organizes which area responds to which threat is still unclear.

However, one of the samples showed unexpected activity: the balance of activity between the two defensive regions of the brain was different. Klumpers’ team found that the difference appeared to be tied to emotional abuse the subjects experienced during their childhood.

The researchers used harmless electric shocks to study activity in the two brain regions. In most of the participants, they found that anticipation of the shock increased activity in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. The shock itself increased activity in the amygdala.

The team of neuroscientists believes that the BNST regulates more distant threats and appears to be connected to areas of the brain that decide how to deal with them. The amygdala seems to be more connected to involuntary reactions such as a faster heartbeat and other fight or flight reactions, they said.

In participants who reported childhood maltreatment, though, the anticipation bypassed the BNST and triggered activity in the amygdala. 

The discovery could offer insights into how negative stress in early life and childhood maltreatment affects people into adulthood.

The study has been published in the <a href="http://www.jneurosci.org/">Journal for Neuroscience</a>.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

How childhood maltreatment changes the brain

Childhood maltreatment may leave behind more than just bad memories....

Hurricane Irma weakened to a Category 2 hurricane on Sunday as its winds – described as a “low howl” by those still in Florida – slowed to 110 mph, but the monster storm had already ripped up trees, spawned tornado warnings, flooded streets, and was threatening a storm surge that could swamp cities in southern Florida, scientists said.

At least three people in Florida have been killed, the <a href="http://www.bbc.com/">BBC</a> reported Sunday evening. More than 2.3 million were without power, and 70,000 were hunkering down in shelters. 

“The windows are shaking and the wind outside is blowing,” <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/10/us/miami-key-west-scene.html">New York Times</a> correspondent Frances Robles wrote from Miami on Sunday morning, before Irma made landfall. “Every few minutes, you can hear the faint sound of a tornado alarm coming from someone’s phone or computer. The trees outside are not bending as much as I thought they would.”

By Sunday afternoon, the center of the Hurricane Irma made had reached the coast near Naples, Florida, threatening a 15-foot storm surge. Waters on the Gulf Coast of Florida had risen four feet by 6 p.m. local time, the <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSLouisville/status/907003992395350016">NWS office in Louisville</a> tweeted.

The <a href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/">National Hurricane Center</a> advised anyone who hadn’t evacuated from Naples, Marco Island and the surrounding area to move away from the coast.

The eyewall – the strongest portion of the storm around Hurricane Irma’s eye – was hammering Fort Myers on Sunday evening as the monster storm moved toward Tampa Bay.

The <a href="https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=FL125867F044BC.TornadoWarning.125867F05074FL.MLBTORMLB.a6d185fbf35d9ce0a9cf179e63be3e05">National Weather Service</a> sent out a tornado advisory for central Florida as Irma’s violent winds spawned severe thunderstorms in the region.

“TAKE COVER NOW! Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris,” the agency said.

Storm surge warnings were also in place for parts of Miami beach, Tampa Bay and the Florida Keys. <a href="https://twitter.com/USATODAY/status/907014047970861056/video/1">Video posted by USA Today</a> showed the surge engulfing neighborhoods in Miami. 

“A Storm Surge Warning means there is a danger of life-threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline, during the next 36 hours in the indicated locations,” a National Hurricane Center alert said.

As people fled their homes, several Florida cities and Miami-Dade County established curfews to prevent looting.

President Donald Trump promised emergency aid and approved a disaster declaration on Sunday. The federal funding included temporary housing grants, the BBC reported. Trump signed <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/09/08/statement-press-secretary-president-donald-j-trump-signing-hr-601">H.R. 601</a>, which diverts more than $15 billion to relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Harvey and western wildfires, on Friday.

Though weaker by Sunday afternoon, Irma was expected to remain at hurricane strength until Monday, meteorologists said.

Before reaching Florida, Hurricane Irma swept through the Caribbean, killing more than 25 people, leaving Puerto Rico without power and more than half the population of Barbuda homeless. In Cuba, Irma tore down houses and tore up trees. 

At one point, sustained windspeeds of 185 mph and gusts topping 200 mph made it the strongest hurricane ever recorded. 

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Hurricane Irma weakens, but not before massive destruction

Hurricane Irma weakened to a Category 2 hurricane on Sunday...

Researchers have hit on a discovery that could help clean up the world: a method for extracting plant sugars from trash like wood chips or corn cobs, then using it as a petroleum alternative.

Because it relies on waste material, the new technique could help solve two major environmental issues: the pollution caused by extracting and processing petroleum, and the trend of replacing food crops with crops intended for biofuels.

"To make greener chemicals and fuel, we're working with plant material, but we don't want to compete with its food value," said Dr. Basudeb Saha, associate director of the <a href="http://www.efrc.udel.edu/">Catalysis Center for Energy Innovation</a> at the <a href="http://www.udel.edu/">University of Delaware</a>. "So instead of taking corn and extracting its sugars to make ethanol, we're making use of the stalks and cobs left over after the corn is harvested, as well as other kinds of waste like wood chips and rice hulls."

For decades, researchers have been looking into ways to recycle waste products into usable fuels and other products. However, biorefineries have come up against obstacles such as a lack of steady supply. In the case of plentiful waste like wood chips or corn cobs, the difficulty has been in finding a process that breaks them down so the plant sugars they contain can be used.

"The lignin that makes their cell walls so tough and sturdy acts like superglue, holding tightly to the sugars," Saha said in a press release.

The current process requires two or more steps and relies on the use of harsh chemicals. But Saha, other University of Delaware researchers and scientists at <a href="http://www.rutgers.edu/">Rutgers University</a> have developed a much more environmentally friendly, single-step process for extracting plant sugars from waste materials.

Instead of pretreating wood chips to break down the lignin, then moving on the the hydrolysis of of the sugars within the cells, it comes both steps into one process. Using a concentrated, inorganic salt solution, the process also operates at a relatively low temperature – 185 Fahrenheit – and takes about one hour.

The University of Delaware team has filed for an international patent on their solution and process. They’ve even figured out how to recycle the salt solution.

"Our process enables – for the first time – the economical production of feed streams that could profoundly improve the economics of cellulosic bioproducts manufactured downstream, not to mention the environmental benefits of replacing petroleum," Saha says. "More than 10,000 million metric tons of carbon emissions were reported in 2010 from conventional fossil fuels and chemicals, which has a long-term catastrophic effect on our environment."

The team has published their research in the journal <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1864-564X">ChemSusChem</a>.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Image credit: Evan Krape, <a href="http://www.udel.edu/">University of Delaware</a>

Plant sugars could rival petroleum with new extraction method

Researchers have hit on a discovery that could help clean...

The body’s immune response to infection has been a vast area of study in the scientific community. Enhancing understanding of how our body fights disease holds great benefits for improving our own ability to fight disease through man-made medicine. 

In a recent study, scientists at the <a href="http://www.fchampalimaud.org/en/the-foundation/champalimaud-centre-unknown/">Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown</a> and <a href="https://imm.medicina.ulisboa.pt/en/">Instituto de Medicina Molecular</a> in Portugal have found that the nervous system and immune system actually work in tandem. Their research shows that neurons located in mucosal tissues have the ability to detect an infection in an organism, and then immediately produce a substance that causes an “adrenaline rush” for the immune cells.

This interaction significantly boosts immune response, as the signal from the neurons causes immune cells to rapidly fight infection and repair tissue damage. 

The immune cells that were being studied are innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), specifically ILC2s. “ILCs were discovered very recently, in 2010, but they are very ancient in evolutionary terms. Even lampreys have them!” says Henrique Veiga-Fernandes, lead author of the study. Lampreys are part of a very old animal lineage.

ILC2s produced substances that are necessary to immune responses against parasites. “These cells are normally abundant at barrier sites, such as the gut, lungs and skin, which serve as physical fortresses to the body”, says Veiga-Fernandes.

In their study, the researchers found that these ILC2s were unable to use protective actions against infections if the ability for them to be connected to their neurons was removed. 

The study discovered “two big novelties,” says Veiga-Fernandes. The first “is that neurons define the immune cells’ function. Nobody could have imagined that the nervous system coordinates, commands and controls the immune response throughout the whole organism.” Second, he says, “it’s one of the fastest and most powerful immune reactions we have ever seen.” The immune response is induced by neurons in a matter of minutes.

Diving deeper, the researchers found that ILC2s have receptors to a neuronal stimulus known as neuromedin U (NMU). Neurons are the only cells that produce large amounts of NMU, which led the researchers to realize that only neurons could be sending this signal to the ILC2s. They confirmed this by infecting mice with no NMU receptors with a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/parasite-wasp-hosts-head/">parasite</a>, and observed that these mice were unable to fight of the infection that control mice had no problem neutralizing.

Another big finding was that the neurons are able to detect secretions from parasites infecting an organism, which causes them to produce large quantities of NMU. The NMU then acts on the ILC2s, creating a protective response in just minutes.

Although this study was only done in mice, it may have implications for the human immune system as well. “In humans, ILC2s also have NMU receptors,” explains Veiga-Fernandes. “But we are still very far from understanding how we could safely use this neuro-immunological ‘bomb;’ for now, we are at the fundamental research level.”

Nevertheless, further research may lead to us discovering that we too have this incredible connection between our nervous and immune systems.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The nervous system triggers our immune response to infection

The body’s immune response to infection has been a vast...

Cosmetic companies tout products that slow aging and provide a more youthful look, but no cosmetic can reverse the damaging effects of Parkinson’s, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other diseases related to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reverse-effecs-aging-brain/">age decline</a>. But now, new research from <a href="http://www.ucla.edu/">UCLA</a> scientists found a way to slow aging and extend the healthy lifespan of fruit flies. 

The key to the breakthrough was targeting mitochondria, the part of the cell in charge of growth and determining when the cell lives and dies. 

The study was conducted by Anil Rana, lead author and UCLA project scientist, and David Walker, senior author and UCLA Professor of Integrative Biology and Physiology.

As we age, damaged mitochondria build up in the brain, muscles, and other organs. The stored up mitochondria are the cause of many age related health problems. 

The researchers noticed that when fruit flies reach middle age, about a month into their typical two-month lifespan, their mitochondria starts to change shape, becoming thinner and more oblong. 

“We think the fact that the mitochondria become larger and elongated impairs the cell's ability to clear the damaged mitochondria, and our research suggests dysfunctional mitochondria accumulate with age, rather than being discarded,” said Walker. 

Walker and his colleagues removed the damaged mitochondria in fruit flies using two different methods, and both resulted in the fruit flies living longer with a healthier lifespan. 

For one method, the researchers increased Drp1 levels in the fruit flies. Drp1 is a protein vital to the aging process, and by increasing its levels, the researchers saw the long damaged mitochondria breaking up into smaller manageable pieces that were then discarded in the fruit flies. 

Breaking up damaged mitochondria gave the fruit flies more energy and endurance and increased their lifespans. 

In another method, researchers turned off a protein called Mfn, which stopped the damaged mitochondria from bonding together and turning into bigger pieces. This method also resulted in similar age slowing effects. 

“You can either break up the mitochondria with Drp1 or prevent them from fusing by inactivating Mfn. Both have the same effect: making the mitochondrial smaller and extending lifespan,” said Rana. 

Walker hopes this researcher can be extended to humans and effectively delay age related decline, halting the serious effects of age related diseases like Parkinson's, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists can now slow aging and extend lifespan

Cosmetic companies tout products that slow aging and provide a...

Researchers at <a href="http://www.columbia.edu/">Columbia University</a> have studied the genomes of 210,000 people to examine genetic mutations which make people more susceptible to various health issues. The researchers were able to identify two harmful mutations that are appearing much less frequently, which suggests that humans are still evolving.

"It's a subtle signal, but we find genetic evidence that natural selection is happening in modern human populations," said study co-author Joseph Pickrell.

The study revealed that the genetic variants which predispose people to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eating-fish-prevent-alzheimer/">Alzheimer's</a> and heavy smoking are significantly less present in people with longer lifespans. Sets of genetic mutations that make people more vulnerable to heart disease, high cholesterol, obesity, and asthma also appeared less frequently in people who lived longer. 

People develop more beneficial traits when genetic mutations form that will aid in survival. As each generation passes on the favorable traits, these traits become more commonly distributed throughout the population. Although complex traits may take millions of years to emerge, the evolution itself is happening with each generation.

By comparing the genomes of hundreds of thousands of people, researchers are able to track the rise and fall of genetic mutations, which allows them to determine which traits are thriving and which are vanishing.

During the current study, two population-level mutation shifts stood out to the researchers. They noticed a drop in the frequency of the ApoE4 gene linked to Alzheimer's in women over 70, and there was a similar drop in the frequency of a mutation in the CHRNA3 gene associated with heavy smoking in men.

The researchers were surprised to find only two common mutations across the entire human genome that heavily influence survival. The fact that no more of such mutations were detected implies that natural selection has eradicated other variants from the population.

"The environment is constantly changing," said lead author Hakhamenesh Mostafavi. "A trait associated with a longer lifespan in one population today may no longer be helpful several generations from now or even in other modern day populations."

The study, published in <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/">PLOS Biology</a>, may be the first to explore how the human genome is evolving in a time frame of only one or two generations. The researchers hope that future genome sequencing and testing will reveal more about the evolution of the human species.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Humans are still evolving, according to new study

Researchers at Columbia University have studied the genomes of 210,000...

Scientists used to believe that facial recognition was an innate ability that humans and primates were simply born with. Macaques, the most widespread group of primates aside from humans, are monkeys whose brain structure and development closely mirror humans. Prior research had shown that young macaques form neuron clusters that respond to facial recognition in the superior temporal sulcus region of the brain.

But a new study from <a href="https://hms.harvard.edu/">Harvard Medical School</a> tells a different story. The research, published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, shows that facial recognition is not a born trait, but rather, is developed over time. Moreover, the absence of seeing different faces at an early age stunts the regions of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/decisions-two-regions-brain/">brain</a> responsible for facial recognition. 

Being exposed to different faces at an early age “installs” the necessary programs in the brain that then respond to facial recognition. 

The research was led by neurobiologist and Harvard Medical School professor Margaret Livingstone, post doctoral fellow Michael Arcaro, and research assistant Peter Schade.

The team raised two separate groups of macaques to better understand facial recognition in the brain. The first group of macaques had a regular upbringing and were raised with their mothers, and spent time with their human handlers and other young macaques. 

When the macaques in this group were 200 days old, the researchers used MRI technology to map out the active areas of the brain in charge of face, hand, object, and body recognition. The researchers found that the macaques exposed to many different faces had equal recognition areas active in their brains. 

The second group of macaques were raised solely by humans, and the macaques were not allowed to see faces, as their handlers wore welding masks while socializing, bonding, and feeding the macaques. 

The brains of the macaques who had grown up in this environment, devoid of facial recognition, showed an absence in the part of the brain responsible for faces. 

The researchers say this could explain why people with autism struggle with facial recognition, because of direct facial avoidance at key developmental stages.

The research could also help scientists better understand and possibly treat prosopagnosia, a cognitive disorder that causes “face blindness,” or the inability to differentiate between faces. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a>, Staff Writer

Facial recognition is not innate, but developed over time

Scientists used to believe that facial recognition was an innate...

Medical research has shown that heavy drinking can change brain function, but a new study shows that long-term alcohol use may affect men more than women – although both genders feel the effects.

Researchers worked with 27 young adults – 16 women and 11 men – who had used alcohol heavily for at least 10 years. The control group, made up of 13 women and 12 men, rarely or never used alcohol. All of the study participants were between the ages of 23 and 28.

"We found more changes in brain electrical activity in male subjects than in females, which was a surprise, as we expected it would be the other way around,” lead author Dr. Outi Kaarre of the <a href="http://www.uef.fi/en">University of Eastern Finland</a> and <a href="https://www.psshp.fi/web/en">Kuopio University Hospital</a> said in a press release. “This means that male brain electrical functioning is changed more than female brains by long-term alcohol use."

The medical researchers stimulated the participants’ brains with magnetic pulses, a process known as transcranial magnetic stimulation, and measured how their brains reacted using an electroencephalogram. One of the changes shown in the brain of males with a history of heavy drinking was increased electrical activity in the brain associated with GABA neurotransmission.

“We're still trying to figure out what this means, but GABA is a pretty fundamental neurotransmitter in the inhibition of many brain and central nervous systems functions,” Kaarre said. “It's involved in many neurological systems, and is important in anxiety and depression.”

While the study showed greater changes among the male participants, the researchers underlined that heavy drinking affects people of both genders, especially those who drink a lot when they’re young.

“It may be that we need to look at tightening regulations on youth drinking, since none of our study participants met the diagnostic criteria for alcohol use disorders and still these significant changes in brain functioning were found,” Kaarre said. 

In Finland, those over 18 may drink in clubs, restaurants and bars, and may purchase some types of alcohol to take home.

More study is needed, the researchers said, since the study relied on a small sample size and it was unknown if any participants had existing neurological conditions before they began drinking.

The study will be presented at the 30th <a href="http://2017.ecnp.eu/">ECNP Congress for Applied and Translational Neuroscience</a>. It was funded by the <a href="http://www.wpanet.org/detail.php?section_id=5&amp;content_id=224">Finnish Psychiatric Association</a>, <a href="http://en.alkoholitutkimussaatio.fi/">Finnish Foundation for Alcohol Studies</a>, <a href="https://www.escap.eu/index/escap-members/finland">Finnish Association of Adolescent Psychiatry</a>, the <a href="http://www.paulo.fi/in-english">Paulo Foundation</a>, and the <a href="http://www.duodecim.fi/english/">Finnish Medical Society Duodecim</a>.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Heavy drinking affects men and women differently, study finds

Medical research has shown that heavy drinking can change brain...

An international team of scientists have collaborated to save coral reefs, which are currently under severe threat due to warming ocean waters caused by climate change. 

The team is comprised of marine biologists from across five different countries, led by Manuel Aranda and Christian Voolstra from <a href="https://www.kaust.edu.sa/">King Abdullah University of Science and Technology</a>. The researchers’ collective efforts were published in a paper in the journal Nature Climate Change.

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/movie-review-sea-of-life/">Coral reefs</a> are important ecosystems that provide habitat and shelter for many marine animals. They’re also some of the most beautiful and diverse naturally-occurring ecosystems on the planet, and as such, play an important role in many tourism-heavy economies. 

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coral-bleaching-havoc-hawaiian/">Coral bleaching</a> events have wreaked havoc on reefs across the globe, most notably Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. With water temperatures continuing to increase, coral bleaching events are projected to only worsen.

“The clock is ticking. If we look at the Great Barrier Reef, more than 30% of the corals may already be dead. Understanding these mechanisms is becoming increasingly important if we want to help these ecosystems,” said Aranda. 

The key, according to the researchers, lies in microbes. Studying how coral reefs can adapt to climate change revolves around understanding how coral microbes change and adapt to varying conditions.

“All animals and plants associate with microbes and form so-called metaorganisms. In particular, coral metaorganisms rely on their microbial partners for survival. These microbes hold the promise to contribute to host physiology and can quickly adjust under changing environmental conditions, thereby helping the coral to adapt,” said Voolstra.

The researchers came up with eight different directions to study that could help paint a better picture of how coral may adapt to the effects of climate change. They recommended looking at the plasticity, epigenetic mechanisms, and microbiomes in the coral. 

Corals are considered ecosystem engineers because the reefs they build host 25 percent of all marine species. Aside from their aesthetic beauty, reefs are extremely important to ocean conservation.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists team up to save coral reefs from climate change

An international team of scientists have collaborated to save coral...

Researchers have conducted a study that may explain why yawning is so infectious. The experts say that primitive reflexes in the primary motor cortex are responsible for contagious yawning. This is the latest in a series of studies by the research team, who has set out to discover new methods of treatment for neuropsychiatric disorders by analyzing their underlying biological causes.

The current study proves that it is difficult to resist yawning when someone is yawning within sight. The research also reveals that the need to yawn is increased when people are instructed to resist. The likelihood of yawning is not decreased by an attempt to stifle it, but holding back may change the way that the yawn is expressed, according to the study.

It turns out that contagious yawning is triggered involuntarily when another person yawns. This is a common form of echophenomena, or the automatic imitation of another person's words or actions. The researchers say that chimpanzees and dogs have a propensity for contagious yawning as well. 

Stephen Jackson is a professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the <a href="http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/">University of Nottingham</a> who led the study.

"We suggest that these findings may be particularly important in understanding further the association between motor excitability and the occurrence of echophenomena in a wide range of clinical conditions that have been linked to increased cortical excitability and/or decreased physiological inhibition such as epilepsy, dementia, autism, and Tourette syndrome,” explains Jackson.

Echophenomena exists in a variety of clinical conditions linked to increased cortical excitability and/or decreased physiological inhibition. The neural basis of echophenomena, however, is unknown.

The researchers set out to find the link between motor excitability and contagious yawning. The team tested 36 adults using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). The participants viewed video clips that showed someone else yawning and were instructed to either resist or give in to yawning.

Through the use of video recording, both yawns and restraint attempts were monitored.  The intensity of each participant's perceived urge to yawn was continuously recorded, and the scientists were able to increase this urge using electrical stimulation.

Georgina Jackson is a Professor of Cognitive Neuropsychology. She says that this study reveals that “the 'urge' is increased by trying to stop yourself.” 

“Using electrical stimulation we were able to increase excitability and in doing so increase the propensity for contagious yawning,” explains Jackson. “In Tourette's if we could reduce the excitability we might reduce the ticks and that's what we are working on."

"If we can understand how alterations in cortical excitability give rise to neural disorders we can potentially reverse them,” adds Professor Stephen Jackson. “We are looking for potential non-drug, personalized treatments, using TMS that might be effective in modulating imbalances in the brain networks."

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Why yawning is so contagious and how it could help treat diseases

Researchers have conducted a study that may explain why yawning...

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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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



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

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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

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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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