Aging brings changes that affect how we hear and process speech, especially in noisy places. But researchers now show that older adults with long-term musical training fare better than their non-musician peers.



This study, led by Claude Alain and Yi Du, highlights how years of musical experience can shape brain function in later life. Their work introduces the “Hold-back upregulation” hypothesis and explores its neural basis using <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lemurs-reveal-surprising-new-clues-about-healthy-aging/">brain</a> imaging.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-older-adults-struggle-with-noisy-speech">Older adults struggle with noisy speech</h2>



As we age, our cognitive and sensory abilities decline. This often leads to the brain compensating by increasing activity and communication between brain regions. But such compensation may require more mental effort and reduces processing efficiency.



This pattern, called the Posterior-Anterior Shift in Aging, shows increased frontal brain activity in older adults. Yet, the extent of this shift varies. Researchers believe <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-shows-psilocybin-from-magic-mushrooms-delays-aging-and-significantly-extends-lifespan/">lifestyle</a> factors like music training may influence it.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-musical-training-builds-brain-strength">Musical training builds brain strength</h2>



Cognitive reserve is built through lifelong <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/healthy-aging-how-some-people-live-past-100-years/">learning</a>. It helps the brain stay resilient against age-related decline. This includes things like multilingualism, advanced education, and especially, musical practice.



Music training requires intense coordination of sound, movement, and memory. These demands help strengthen the brain’s sensory and motor systems. The auditory dorsal stream links sound to action and plays a key role here.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-musical-training-helps-adults-hear-better">Musical training helps adults hear better</h2>



To explore the effects of musical training, the study compared three groups: 25 older musicians (OMs), 25 older non-musicians (ONMs), and 24 young non-musicians (YNMs). Each participant completed a speech-in-noise (SIN) task while undergoing fMRI scans. 



They listened to syllables such as /ba/, /da/, /pa/, and /ta/ masked by varying levels of background noise. Older musicians outperformed older non-musicians at higher signal-to-noise ratios (0 and +8 dB), though both older groups performed worse than the younger participants.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-two-paths-of-brain-aging">Two paths of brain aging</h2>



The researchers proposed two possible ways musical training might influence the aging brain. The first is called&nbsp;Bolster Compensation. This idea suggests that musical training strengthens the brain by adding extra neural resources. 



As people age and cognitive abilities decline, these extra resources could help boost brain activity during tasks, compensating for age-related losses.



The second idea is called&nbsp;Hold-Back Upregulation. This theory suggests that instead of pushing the brain to work harder, musical training helps it work more efficiently. It prevents the brain from becoming overactive in response to aging. 



As a result, the brain activity patterns of older musicians remain more similar to those of younger people. This efficient use of brain networks could explain why older musicians perform better on complex listening tasks.



The results supported the second theory. Older musicians showed more efficient brain patterns. Their connectivity strength closely resembled young non-musicians, especially in right hemisphere regions involved in speech <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-are-experimenting-with-new-approach-to-fight-and-stop-human-aging-necrosis/">processing</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-the-brain-s-inner-workings">Mapping the brain's inner workings</h2>



Using advanced analyses like task-induced functional connectivity (TiFC) and inter-subject spatial correlation (ISPC), the researchers revealed more than just stronger brain links.



Older musicians’ brains did not just work better. They were organized more like young brains. Their neural activity followed similar spatial patterns and had fewer shifts in peak connectivity locations.



In one region (left precentral gyrus), non-musicians showed clear spatial drift in activity peaks, while musicians did not. This suggests that musical training preserves both structure and function.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-musical-training-during-tasks">Musical training during tasks</h2>



The study also measured resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) and found that both older musicians and non-musicians exhibited stronger RSFC compared to younger participants. 



However, this increased connectivity at rest did not correlate with their performance on speech-in-noise (SIN) tasks.



These findings suggest that it is the brain’s reorganization during active tasks - not just its resting state - that plays a key role in shaping behavior. In other words, how the brain adapts while engaged in a challenge may be more important than its baseline connectivity.



There were no differences in BOLD activation (a measure of brain region activity strength) across groups. This supports the idea that spatial organization and connection strength matter more than raw activity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-music-builds-a-youthful-brain">Music builds a youthful brain</h2>



This work reveals how lifelong musical training may protect older adults from neural inefficiency. Instead of overactivating brain regions, trained musicians preserve a more youthful balance. This is especially true in the dorsal auditory stream.



“Just like a well-tuned instrument doesn’t need to be played louder to be heard, the brains of older musicians stay finely tuned thanks to years of training,” said Dr. Yi Du.



“A positive lifestyle helps older adults cope better with cognitive aging, and it is never too late to take up, and stick with, a rewarding hobby such as learning an instrument,” added Dr. Lei Zhang.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-research-is-needed">Further research is needed</h2>



While the evidence supports the “Hold-back upregulation” idea, the researchers caution that causality isn’t proven. They recommend future work to examine other sources of reserve such as physical fitness or multilingualism. 



Other brain tasks like memory and attention should also be studied. Still, this study adds strong support to the argument for keeping enriching hobbies throughout life. 



For older adults hoping to sharpen their minds, picking up a musical instrument might be a smart place to start.



The researchers are from the <a href="https://www.utoronto.ca" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Toronto</a>, <a href="https://www.baycrest.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Baycrest Academy</a>, and the <a href="https://english.cas.cn" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chinese Academy of Sciences</a>.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3003247" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLOS Biology</a>.



-----



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



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



-----

How musical training helps the brain as we age

Aging brings changes that affect how we hear and process speech, especially in noisy places. But researchers now show that older adults with long-term musical training fare better than their non-musician peers. This study, led by Claude Alain and Yi Du, highlights how years of musical experience can shape brain function in later life. Their work introduces the “Hold-back upregulation” hypothesis and explores its neural basis using brain imaging. Older adults struggle with noisy speech As we age, our cognitive and sensory abilities decline. This often leads...

Polyphenols play an important role in our health and well being as they are known to help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, protect against unwanted pathogens, and reduce cancerous tumors. Polyphenols are everywhere, especially in cocoa, olive oil, apples, grapes, and cherries. Now, a new study by the <a href="https://www.escardio.org/">European Society of Cardiology</a> has found that dark chocolate enriched with extra virgin olive oil is linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, as extra virgin olive oil and cocoa are both high in polyphenols. 

The team of researchers tested the differing effects of dark chocolate with extra virgin <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/frying-food-olive-oil-health/">olive oil</a> and the Italian Panaia red apple, which also has high levels of polyphenols. 

“Fruits and vegetables exert their protective effects through plant polyphenols, which are found in cocoa, olive oil, and apples. Research has found that the Italian Panaia red apple has very high levels of polyphenols and antioxidants,” said Dr. Rossella Di Stefano, a cardiologist at the <a href="https://www.unipi.it/index.php/english">University of Pisa</a>, Italy and the lead author of the study. 

Dr. Di Stefano observed the effects that polyphenol-rich foods had on individuals with cardiovascular risk factors, and whether polyphenols inhibited atherosclerosis progression. Atherosclerosis is the slow buildup of fatty deposits or plaque that, over time, clog arteries and can have fatal consequences. 

The study followed 14 men and 12 women with cardiovascular risk factors. The participants were then were given 40 grams of dark chocolate for 28 days. The chocolate was enriched with either extra virgin olive oil or Panaira red apple and was given for 14 consecutive days each. 

The participants were also subject to urine and blood tests before and after the study. The researchers found that after the study was completed, the dark chocolate with olive oil had a significant impact on cardiovascular health. 

The researchers found increased EPC, or endothelial progenitor cells, which are important for vascular repair.

“We found that small daily portions of dark chocolate with added natural polyphenols from extra virgin olive oil was associated with an improved cardiovascular risk profile. Our study suggests that extra virgin olive oil might be a good food additive to help preserve our 'repairing cells', the EPC,” said Dr. Di Stefano.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Dark chocolate with olive oil improves cardiovascular health

Polyphenols play an important role in our health and well...

Historians and grape aficionados alike have long believed that Italy’s wine-making heritage stretches back to the Middle Bronze Age, from 1300 to 1100 BCE. But ancient wine residue shows they may have been off – by a lot. 

Archaeologists uncovered the large, unglazed storage jar at Monte Kronio, a Copper Age site near the southwestern coast of Sicily. The pot was dated back to about 4000 BCE.

Dr. Davide Tanasi, a researcher based at the <a href="http://www.usf.edu/">University of South Florida</a>, analyzed the pottery and made a striking discovery – residue from ancient wine.

He and his team conducted a chemical analysis of the residue using spectroscopy, which showed that the wine residue contained traces of tartaric acid and sodium salt, both natural byproducts of the winemaking process.

The find shakes up previous beliefs about the history of winemaking in Italy. Previously, some preserved seeds backed up the idea that wine production in Italy began a little over 3,000 years ago; the new find nearly doubles that estimate.

The find itself was extremely rare. In order for pottery to be properly analyzed, it has to be excavated intact, the researchers said.

While the ancient wine shows that the grape-based beverage may be much older than previously thought, it’s still not the first time humans ventured into the world of alcohol production.

The Mapuche people of what is today Chile fermented potatoes into alcoholic “chicha” as early as 13000 BCE. Sorghum beer dates back to about 6000 BCE in South Africa, and nomads in central Asia were fermenting horse milk by 6,500 years ago. Cassava beer dates back to 4000 BCE in what is now Suriname and Guyana – making it about the same age as the ancient wine Tanasi and his colleagues discovered.

The study has been published in <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0026265X17305271">Microchemical Journal</a>.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Photo credit: Dr. Davide Tanasi, <a href="http://www.usf.edu/">University of South Florida</a>

Ancient wine residue found on Copper Age pottery

Historians and grape aficionados alike have long believed that Italy’s...

Earthquakes can be sudden and terrifying, causing massive amounts of damage. But it’s often the earthquake aftermath – tsunamis, fire, flooding, landslides and more – that is the most devastating, a new study shows.

Researchers from the Geophysical Institute at the <a href="https://www.kit.edu/english/">Karlsruhe Institute of Technology</a> looked at 100 disastrous quakes between 1900 and the present day, including the calamitous 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire, 1923 Great Kanto earthquake, 1960 Chile earthquake, 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, 2005 Kashmir earthquake, and 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. 

Secondary disasters in the earthquake aftermath are responsible for a vast number of quake-related deaths, the scientists said.

“Earthquakes have caused over 2.3 million fatalities since 1900 in 2,233 fatal events, with many of these coming through large, infrequent events,” the researchers wrote in their study, published in <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fbuil.2017.00030">Frontiers in Built Environment</a>. “In fact, since 1900, 59% of these fatalities have occurred in just 10 events.”

They found that the most destructive earthquakes – and those with the largest loss of life – are often followed by one or more “secondary disasters.” Tsunamis, fires, soil liquefaction, landslides, fault ruptures, flooding and other disasters in an earthquake aftermath can add hundreds or thousands of casualties and millions of dollars of damage, the researchers discovered.

They also examined what they called “tertiary effects,” such as epidemics or starvation caused by infrastructure damage, flooding or other primary and secondary quake-related disasters.

“Tertiary effects could include cascading effects such as the primary effect of an earthquake causing a secondary effect in the form of a tsunami which damages a nuclear power plant, and then a nuclear disaster develops,” they wrote.

Some of the secondary disasters – tsunami and fire, for example – are more likely to contribute to loss of life. Others, such as landslides, are more often financial disasters.

“Quite often for smaller events, landslides deliver a great amount of the clean-up cost, and indeed sectoral losses. Infrastructure, such as roads, is particularly vulnerable to landslides and secondary effects, often causing much of the damage,” the researchers wrote.

The researchers hope that their analysis can help develop better predictive models of what to expect in an earthquake aftermath. 

“As improved models for secondary effects of earthquakes continue to be created and better collection of loss statistics occur, the reanalysis of historic events should allow for scenario-based current and future effects of potential earthquake secondary effect cascading events to be analyzed, but also a potential check of the historical impacts,” they wrote.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Photo credit: Arnold Genthe, April 1906

Earthquake aftermath can cause more devastation than the quake itself

Earthquakes can be sudden and terrifying, causing massive amounts of...

As <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/still-deny-climate-change/">climate change</a> continues to drastically affect air temperatures, weather patterns, sea levels, salinity, forests, and water resources, one type of natural resource seems to remain stubbornly unaffected. According to a new study led by Samantha Oliver, a graduate student from <a href="https://limnology.wisc.edu/">UW-Madison's Center for Limnology</a>, lakes have stayed surprisingly consistent despite all of the other rapid environmental changes. 

Oliver and her team collected data on nearly 3,000 lakes in the US from 1990 to 2011 to analyze changes in water quality, algal growth, and nutrient levels in plants. The researchers found that the water quality of the lakes was pretty neutral throughout the years, despite a warming planet and many growing economies. 

“Despite large environmental change and management efforts over recent decades, water quality of lakes in the Midwest and Northeast U.S. has not overwhelmingly degraded or improved,” said the study. 

Oliver and the researchers make a point to state that the study doesn’t necessarily conclude that the lakes analyzed weren’t completely unaffected climate change, as there were still trends in algal growths with blooms occurring in some lakes more frequently. Instead, Oliver discusses that the study could have two possible conclusions depending on your viewpoint. 

On the one hand, the fact that the majority of the lakes studied were not widely adversely changed through the years could point to successful efforts of the $3.5 billion dollars the US spends each year on hindering algae growth. On the other hand, with so much money being spent annually, you might expect to see a more positive trend in the lakes instead of having no real changes recorded in water quality. 

“It’s a glass half full, glass half empty thing. Some people say, 'Whoa, the management must really be doing something,' and the other half of them say, 'That's really depressing, our management hasn't done anything. We need to do so much more,” said Oliver.

One thing Oliver is certain of is that if any change is going to happen, starting locally just simply won’t cut it. Oliver used the Gulf of Mexico’s Dead Zone as an example. The Dead Zone was caused by fertilizer runoff from the Mississippi in the Midwest, which is why so many environmentalists urge local farmers and governments to take action. Oliver counters this theory by arguing that the problems are happening on a global scale and need a global mindset to fix them. 

“While we like to focus on 'our' particular lake or stream, each one is different. How the whole population of lakes and streams, and ultimately, the Gulf of Mexico will respond to things like climate change or government policies can only be figured out by looking at the bigger picture of the thousands of lakes and rivers across the U.S,” said Oliver. 

Oliver’s study raises important questions about the effectiveness of government programs and spending to hinder adverse environmental problems, and will hopefully encourage further global efforts.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

As climate change alters the environment, lakes stay consistent

As climate change continues to drastically affect air temperatures, weather...

Marijuana is becoming increasingly prevalent in the United States for both medical and recreational use. As cannabis gradually becomes easier to access legally, it’s important that studies are done to examine the risks as well as the benefits of its use. Previous studies have found that marijuana use may affect kidney function in animals – which is rather concerning – but the data in humans has been limited. 

Dr. Julie Ishida of the <a href="https://www.ucsf.edu/">University of California, San Francisco</a>, has recently published a study that is the first of its kind, and looks to narrow the gap in knowledge on marijuana use and kidney function. She and her colleagues looked at the potential links between marijuana use and kidney function in healthy young adults.

Appearing in the most recent issue of <a href="http://cjasn.asnjournals.org/">Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology</a>, this analysis looked at data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study, which included repeated assessments of cannabis use and kidney outcomes.

In their analysis, the researchers discovered that at the start of the study, individuals with higher <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pet-owners-medical-marijuana/">marijuana</a> use had lower kidney function. However, in a follow-up, they found that marijuana use was not associated with change in kidney function over time, or the appearance of albumin in the urine – a sign of kidney damage.

The researchers concluded that marijuana use was not associated with any change in kidney function, but noted that more research is necessary. 

Dr. Ishida explains, “Results from our observational study in young adults with normal kidney function may not translate into a clinically meaningful difference and may be insufficient to inform decision-making concerning marijuana use; however, it is possible that the association between marijuana use and kidney function could be different in other populations such as older adults or patients with kidney disease, so additional research is needed.”

Hopefully, as more states legalize marijuana for medical and recreational use, studies such as this will become more commonplace. It’s important we understand the risks of what we put into our bodies, even if the government legalizes our right to do so.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

No evidence that marijuana use affects human kidney function

Marijuana is becoming increasingly prevalent in the United States for...

Pitch plays a crucial role in language, and sometimes it’s not just what you say, but how you say it. Elevated pitch, intonation, slight fluctuations in tone are used to convey different meanings in so countless languages. The most obvious example is how a slight elevation in pitch at the end of a sentence turns a statement into a question. But now, a study published in the journal <a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a> has identified a subset of neurons that are responsible for detecting and discerning changing levels in pitch. 

Claire Tang, along with colleagues from the <a href="http://weill.ucsf.edu/">Weill Institute for Neurosciences </a>at the <a href="https://www.ucsf.edu/">University of California, San Francisco</a>, examined neural activity in ten patients suffering from seizures. 

The researchers implanted sensors and then played recordings of synthesized voices that varied in tone, phonetic content, and speaker gender. They found that certain areas of the brain were active and responded the same way to completely different sentences with the same sound patterns. 

The researchers also found different neural responses to male and female voices who differ timbre. The areas of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/contact-sports-impact-young-brains/">brain</a> that responded to pitch were different from the areas that recognized speaker identity. The study also used hundreds of sentences spoken by both male and female voices to see if there were any differences in the neural responses in recognizing relative pitch and absolute pitch. 

38 of 45 of electrodes responsible for recording intonation were more efficiently able to predict relative pitch, rather than absolute or perfect pitch. Tang recorded and observed these neural responses through high-density electrocorticography, using electrodes placed directly on the brain to collect data and observe neural responses.

This enhanced information about how different regions of the brain respond to pitch in order to understand meaning sheds new light on how the brain processes language and sound.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a><a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How our brains detect changes in pitch to discern meaning

Pitch plays a crucial role in language, and sometimes it’s...

Scientists from <a href="http://www.harvard.edu/">Harvard University</a> have created a cyborg bacteria that is capable of generating artificial photosynthesis. The bacteria uses tiny crystalline nanoparticles as solar panels to photosynthesize sunlight and generate useful chemicals.

These cybernetic bacteria also produced zero waste and could be used to generate compounds for fuels, plastics, and pharmaceuticals. 

Dr. Kelsey Sakimoto and her research team from <a href="http://www.harvard.edu/">Harvard University</a> and <a href="http://berkeley.edu/">Berkeley</a> used the bacterium known as Moorella thermoacetica, which consumes carbon dioxide to create acetic acid. The bacterium is not photosynthetic, but by feeding the bacteria both cadmium and cysteine, the bacterium transformed into a photosynthesizing machine. 

Cysteine is an amino acid and cadmium is a chemical element, and once both were introduced to the bacteria, it created cadmium sulfide nanoparticles. Cadmium sulfide is known for its semi-conductive properties, so the bacteria used the nanoparticles as solar panels as the bacteria self-replicated, converted carbon dioxide, harvested sunlight, and generated acetic acid. 

“The bacteria/inorganic-semiconductor hybrid artificial photosynthesis system we’ve created is self-replicating through the bio-precipitation of cadmium sulfide nanoparticles, which serve as the light harvester to sustain cellular metabolism,” said corresponding author Peidong Yang, a chemist from Berkeley. 

This breakthrough in artificial <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/use-photosynthesis-create-hydrogen-fuel/">photosynthesis</a> could have huge implications in generating renewable energy and finding alternative fuel sources. 

Sakimoto and her team aren’t the only ones exploring ways to harness photosynthesis, as creating efficient alternatives to the naturally occurring process could help produce sustainable, clean, and eco-friendly chemicals used in fuels and plastics. It could also help eliminate our dependency on petroleum. 

This new development of cyborg bacteria could also be the first of the artificial photosynthesis attempts to be used outside of the lab with commercial applications. 

“Our algal biofuels are much more attractive, as the whole CO2-to-chemical apparatus is self-contained and only requires a big vat out in the sun,” said Sakimoto.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cyborg bacteria can now generate artificial photosynthesis

Scientists from Harvard University have created a cyborg bacteria that...

The largest near-Earth asteroid scientists have ever tracked will pass by the planet on September 1st, 2017. Asteroid Florence will safely dodge the Earth at a distance of 4.4 million miles, or over 18 times the distance from the Earth to the moon. While <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a>'s preliminary measurements indicate Asteroid Florence spans 2.7 miles, radar images captured during the event will reveal its actual size.

Paul Chodas is the manager of NASA's <a href="https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/">Center for Near-Earth Object Studies</a> (CNEOS) at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

"While many known asteroids have passed by closer to Earth than Florence will on September 1, all of those were estimated to be smaller," said Chodas. "Florence is the largest asteroid to pass by our planet this close since the NASA program to detect and track near-Earth asteroids began."

The relatively close path of Asteroid Florence will give scientists a rare opportunity to study the asteroid. The massive rocky body is predicted to be an ideal target for radar imaging, which will take place at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldstone_Solar_System_Radar">NASA's Goldstone Solar System Radar</a> in California and at the <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5652">National Science Foundation's Arecibo Observatory</a> in Puerto Rico. The resulting images will show surface details as small as 30 feet.

Asteroid Florence was named after Florence Nightingale in 1981 when it was discovered by Schelte "Bobby" Bus at an observatory in Australia. The 2017 event will be the closest encounter this <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/asteroid-killed-dinosaurs-worst-place/">asteroid</a> has had with Earth since 1890, and it will not come this close to the planet again until after the year 2500.

In late August and early September, Florence will brighten to the ninth magnitude, making it visible in small telescopes for several nights. The illuminated asteroid will move through several constellations including Piscis Austrinus, Capricornus, Aquarius, and Delphinus.

According to NASA, radar has been used to observe hundreds of asteroids. This provides scientists with data to study an asteroid's size, shape, surface features, roughness, rotation, and orbital path.
--
By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Massive asteroid will pass by Earth on September 1st

The largest near-Earth asteroid scientists have ever tracked will pass...

Adult mosquitoes depend on the nectar or honeydew of plants to get the sugar they need for survival. With this in mind, scientists developed a sweet-smelling insecticide that is not only highly effective and inexpensive but also environmentally friendly. This new eradication method may be used worldwide to help suppress diseases transmitted by mosquitoes such as Zika and malaria.

"The blend of chemicals that we use to attract mosquitoes is so powerful that they will ignore natural plant odors and attractants in order to get to our formulation," said lead researcher Agenor Mafra-Neto. "From a mosquito's point of view, it's like having an irresistible chocolate shop on every corner. The product is so seductive that they will feed on it almost exclusively, even when it contains lethal doses of insecticide."

The most common chemical insecticides that are used to control <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mosquitoes-zika-transmit-diseases/">mosquitoes</a> are sprayed over wide areas, which may threaten people, animals, and other insects. This blanket approach can also pollute the environment and promote pesticide resistance. The research team set out to develop a formula spiked with semiochemicals, or pheromones, that would successfully attract the mosquitoes to the insecticide for a much more targeted approach. 

The team collected the scents of flowers and plants that produce nectar and managed to identify their odorous compounds. They exposed mosquito antennae to thousands of these compounds to analyze their responses. The researchers also eliminated scents which attracted bees.

The team developed a semiochemical blend containing sugars and proteins to mimic 20 chemical signals that the mosquitoes found most attractive. They combined these compounds with insecticides such as pyrethroids or spinosad which produced highly-effective formulas.

The product ultimately created by the study is called Vectrax. It is safe for both indoor and outdoor use, and can be applied in the form of a spray or in a gel form. The spray produces 1-5 millimeter dollops, which help to deliver a precise dose of the insecticide as the mosquitoes visit and manipulate the dollops. 

The researchers are now testing out the product in Tanzania, where 93 percent of the population is at risk for malaria. Preliminary results showed that Vetrax reduced mosquito populations by two-thirds in only two weeks.

"If the trend continues like this, we expect that the Anopheles malaria mosquito population will soon be collapsing down to nearly zero in the treated villages," said Mafra-Neto. 

The researchers are presenting their work today at the 254th National Meeting &amp; Exposition of the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New insecticide attracts mosquitoes with sweet pheromones

Adult mosquitoes depend on the nectar or honeydew of plants...

Lignin is plant waste residue that becomes a waste product of paper and ethanol production, and is usually burned or dumped in landfills. But now, scientists have found a way to remodel lignin into carbon fiber strong enough to be used to build airplane and automobile parts.

"Lignin is a complex aromatic molecule that is mainly burned to make steam in a biorefinery plant, a relatively inefficient process that doesn't create a lot of value," said lead researcher Birgitte Ahring. "Finding better ways to use leftover lignin is really the driver here. We want to use biorefinery waste to create value. We want to use a low-value product to create a high-value product, which will make biorefineries sustainable."

Carbon fiber made with lignin would have huge advantages over fibers currently being produced, as it would be more sustainable and less expensive. The carbon fiber used in modern <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/self-driving-cars-ethical-decisions/">cars</a> and aircraft are most often made from polyacrylonitrile (PAN), which is an expensive non-renewable vinyl polymer. 

Jinxue Jiang, Ph.D., is a postdoctoral researcher at <a href="https://wsu.edu/">Washington State University</a> who participated in the study.

"PAN can contribute about half of the total cost of making carbon fiber,"said Jiang. "Our idea is to reduce the cost for making carbon fiber by using renewable materials, like biorefinery lignin." 

Jiang explained that previous studies have failed to make carbon fibers from 100 percent lignin because the fibers produced were too weak for the automotive industry. "We wanted to combine the high strength of PAN with the low cost of the lignin to produce an automobile-grade carbon fiber,” said Jiang.

The research team mixed lignin with PAN in amounts ranging from 0 to 50 percent. They used a process called melt spinning to fuse lignin and PAN together into a single fiber.

The researchers used various techniques to test the structural and mechanical characteristics of the fibers. 

The study revealed that carbon fiber made of 20-30 percent lignin maintained its industrial strength. The researchers said that the lignin carbon fibers could be used in automobile production to make internal parts, castings, and tire frames.

Next, the team will test their carbon fibers at an automobile manufacturing plant to evaluate their strength in real-world scenarios. The researchers will present their work today at the 254th National Meeting &amp; Exposition of the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists transform plant waste into building material

Lignin is plant waste residue that becomes a waste product...

Production of myelin is crucial to neural development and the structural organization of white matter. Myelin is the fatty white substance that surrounds some nerve fibers or axons and helps insulate the nerve fibers as they send signals to and from neurons and other cells. Now, new research has shown that sensory rich experiences and new environments can play a positive role in the development of white matter and enhance myelination in children.

Myelination is the process of producing the sheath-like insulation for axons (nerve fibers). Without enough insulation, the nervous system cannot work properly, and many developmental disorders can be traced back to defects in white matter formation and myelin integrity

Thomas A. Forbes, lead author of a report published in the journal Trends in Neurosciences, discusses a crucial  “feedback loop,” wherein a pool of cells known as oligodendrocyte progenitor cells make myelin through childhood and adolescence, and the oligodendrocyte cells work in tandem with the axons.

Forbes and his fellow researcher discuss myelination in conjunction with the beneficial effects that sensory rich environments have on young developing brains. 

“The strength, duration and timing of environmental experience influences plasticity in brain circuitry, which is made up of communication cables called axons that link neurons throughout the brain and are coated by myelin, a fatty substance that helps nerve impulses speed from place to place,” says Vittorio Gallo, the study’s senior author and Chief Research Officer at <a href="https://childrensnational.org/">Children's National Health System. </a>

Sensory rich environments can help cognitive development through a variety of ways. Enriching a child’s environment through exposure to new objects and surroundings and interactions with new people and playmates has been found to increase volume and length of myelinated fibers and boost total brain volume. 

Other sensory rich activities that can boost <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/environmental-pollutant-dioxin-alters-brain-development/">brain development</a> include listening to music, active learning, and physical fitness. These positive impacts are further evidenced by the negative effects that poor nutrition, neglect, and social isolation have on basic motor skills and cognitive function and in turn myelin structure. 

The research shows how important an enriched environment is to brain development for infants and children, and offers important information for finding therapies and treatments to enhance white matter health. 

“An enriched environment not only involves the opportunity to move and participate in physical exercise and physical therapy; it is also an environment where there is novelty, new experiences and continuously active learning. It is equally important to minimize social stressors. It's all about the balance,” said Gallo. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Vibrant environments can help white matter development in kids

Production of myelin is crucial to neural development and the...

Scientists are warning that there is a dangerous discrepancy between what we know about life deep in our oceans and the pressure that human activities are placing on these ecosystems. The experts say that without an urgent review of ocean conservation strategies we will lose deep sea populations faster than we can understand them.

The seafloor, which makes up 60 percent of the Earth’s surface, is the largest and most diverse habitat on the planet. A report by researchers at <a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/">Oxford University</a> points out that there are large gaps in our understanding of how sea creatures are interconnected.

'Today humans have an unprecedented ability to affect the lives of creatures living in one of the most remote environments on earth - the deep sea,” says co-author Christopher Roterman. “At a time where the exploitation of deep sea resources is increasing, scientists are still trying to understand basic aspects of the biology and ecology of deep sea communities.”

The researchers analyzed every available study on deep sea invertebrates, which include corals, snails, and urchins. There have only been 77 population genetics studies on these marine species in the last three decades, and the majority of these investigations have focused on commercial species in more shallow parts of the ocean.

The research team discovered that only one study has been conducted on creatures that live deeper than 5,000 meters. They also found only nine reports on depths below 3,500 meters, which accounts for half of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-ocean-floor/">seafloor</a>.

The researchers used the limited information they collected in an effort to establish the relationships of marine ecosystems over depth and distance. Their report, published in <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1365-294X">Molecular Ecology</a>, explains that animals are generally disconnected over a few hundred meters of depth, but manage to remain well connected over a few thousand kilometers in distance.

Pollution, extreme fishing, deep sea mining, and climate change are increasingly affecting invertebrates on the seafloor. Coral reefs, which are among the most biologically diverse ecosystems on Earth, are vanishing at shocking rates. The scientists will continue research in an attempt to understand how future activities will impact corals and other species.

“Population genetics is an important tool that helps us to understand how deep sea communities function, and in turn how resilient they will be in the future to the increasing threat of human impacts,” explains Roterman. 

The research team acknowledges that getting data from deep in the ocean is expensive and time-consuming, but new technology is making it more feasible.

“As scientists it is our duty to gather as much basic information about these creatures as we can and share it, and work with the people that set the rules of the seas - who have the power to make management decisions,” says co-author Michelle Taylor. “We cannot bury our heads in the sand and think that people are not going to try and exploit resources in the deep sea so science needs to catch up.”
--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Deep sea life may disappear before we even understand it

Scientists are warning that there is a dangerous discrepancy between...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



---



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



---



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



---



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



---



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



---



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



---



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



---



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



---



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



---



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

News coming your way