A recent study shows that reading chemical marks on just two stretches of human DNA can estimate a person’s chronological age to within about 1.36 years - if the person is younger than 50.



The work comes from the <a href="https://en.huji.ac.il/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hebrew University</a> of Jerusalem, where Professor Tommy Kaplan and his colleagues trained a deep learning model called <a href="https://github.com/MagNet-DL/magnet" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MAgeNet</a> to read single‑molecule methylation patterns.



“It turns out that the passage of time leaves measurable marks on our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2025-our-power-our-planet/">DNA</a>,” said Kaplan, enthused about this finding he credits to the team’s focus on high‑resolution data.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dna-tags-like-a-clock">DNA tags like a clock</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/some-genes-may-predict-infertility-and-disease-by-flipping-like-a-light-switch/">DNA methylation</a> is a steady change that happens over time, where a small chemical tag gets added to specific spots in the DNA.



Because methylation builds up or fades in predictable ways as people age, scientists have treated it as a molecular clock for more than a decade.



Earlier age prediction models looked at hundreds of scattered DNA sites, but MAgeNet focuses on just two specific regions. 



It studies thousands of individual DNA fragments from those regions and runs them through a layered AI system to figure out a person’s age.



The network learns whether each fragment is fully methylated, partly marked, or untouched, then weighs more than 130,000 possible patterns to calculate a final age prediction.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-two-dna-regions-determine-age">Two DNA regions determine age</h2>



Horvath’s 2013 epigenetic clock needed 353 CpGs and still missed the mark by almost four years on individual <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hundreds-of-exoplanets-are-much-larger-than-we-thought/">blood</a> samples.



Non‑linear “<a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10545910/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GP‑age</a>” modeling cut that error to about two years using 30 <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/cpg-site" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CpG</a>s, but it still relied on array data that blurs single‑molecule details. Pyrosequencing <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26026729/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> later trimmed the list to five CpGs yet could not beat a 3.9‑year median error.



Kaplan’s team showed that focusing on pattern combinations rather than single averages lets a neural network squeeze out nearly twice the accuracy of any earlier clock.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-age-test-informs-care">Age test informs care</h2>



MAgeNet’s predictions did not change when researchers stratified volunteers by body‑mass index, smoking history, or sex, suggesting that the two‑locus signatures are insulated from lifestyle noise.



Such stability could help physicians decide whether a patient’s treatment plan matches cellular age rather than calendar age, a crucial distinction in emerging “<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-39786-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gerotherapeutic</a>” trials that target biological aging.



The study also tracked 52 Jerusalem residents a decade apart and found that early deviations between predicted and calendar age remained almost unchanged ten years later.



This fact implies that the methyl tags lay down a durable timestamp rather than fluctuating with short‑term health shifts.



Because the assay works on as few as 50 DNA molecules, even a pediatric finger prick or archived neonatal blood spot could, in principle, reveal whether growth‑related <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astonishing-global-heat-in-january-2025-defied-climate-expectations/">therapies</a> are accelerating or slowing a child’s cellular timeline.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forensics-and-dna-age-testing">Forensics and DNA age testing</h2>



Forensic scientists have long sought a tool that can reveal a suspect’s age from a trace <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/everyday-dna-damage-requires-constant-repair-by-cells-to-prevent-disease/">DNA profile</a>, something standard methylation arrays could not deliver without milligrams of tissue.



The Hebrew University team showed that down‑sampling their libraries to the equivalent of 20 genomic copies still kept the median error below four years, a tolerance well within the age ranges investigators typically publish in bulletins.



Urine samples predicted age within 2.5 years, while saliva lagged at 6.4 years, indicating that re‑training the model on cell type-specific data could broaden its courtroom utility.



Because most criminal suspects are under 40, the sub‑one‑year error seen in that age band may finally let agencies add an accurate number, not just a broad bracket, to DNA‑based composite sketches.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clock-slows-after-60">Clock slows after 60</h2>



What drives some CpG clusters to tick in lockstep while others drift stochastically remains unclear. The authors speculate that nucleosome positioning and local enzyme kinetics may set the pace.



They also note that the clock’s error grows past age 60, hinting that accumulated epigenetic noise or selective survival of certain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/blood-stem-cells-grown-in-the-lab-for-first-time-ever-leukemia-treatment/">blood cell</a> types begins to obscure the signal after mid‑life.



Future work aims to attach unique molecular identifiers during PCR to remove duplicate reads, a simple change that could shave away the remaining variance in the model.



A broader donor pool will test whether ethnicity, chronic disease, or extreme environments push the two‑locus DNA age clock off course, or whether, as the early data suggest, every cell on the planet keeps DNA time with the same molecular second hand.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(25)00729-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cell Reports</a>.



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New DNA test can tell your exact age from just a tiny blood sample

A recent study shows that reading chemical marks on just two stretches of human DNA can estimate a person’s chronological age to within about 1.36 years - if the person is younger than 50. The work comes from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where Professor Tommy Kaplan and his colleagues trained a deep learning model called MAgeNet to read single‑molecule methylation patterns. “It turns out that the passage of time leaves measurable marks on our DNA,” said Kaplan, enthused about this finding he credits to the team’s...

With North Korea claiming to have missiles that can reach <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-missiles-idUSKBN19P02W">Alaska</a>, disaster movie scenarios have crept into the minds of many Americans. This isn’t the first time Alaska has been the locale for potential disaster. In 2008, the 49th State on the northwest extremity of North America saw two of the state’s 40 plus active volcanoes erupt in the southwestern <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/the-aleutian-islands/">Aleutian Islands</a>. Neither Kasatochi Volcano or Mount Okmok’s eruptions were disastrous, but they did get us thinking… Might some natural disaster take us out before a foreign missile? When was the last time a volcano did some real damage in the United States?

In 1980, Mount St. Helens in Washington state erupted and caused 57 casualties, making it the deadliest and most costly volcano in US history. In 1989, Mount Redoubt in… you guessed it, Alaska, sent volcanic ash 45, 000 feet into the sky, causing all four engines on a Boeing 747 to fail and send the airplane plummeting toward the earth, until the pilots managed to get the engines restarted. Then in 2009, the same volcano went off from March to July. Fortunately, no planes fell from the sky that time and volcanoes on the North American continent have been relatively quiet since.

Mauna Loa in Hawaii, considered to be the largest volcano on earth having emerged above sea level some 400, ooo years ago, experienced its last eruption from March to April of 1984. Benjamin Edwards, Associate Professor of Geology at<a href="http://www.dickinson.edu/"> Dickinson College</a> in Pennsylvania<a href="https://www.maxim.com/maxim-man/which-5-volcanoes-are-most-likely-erupt-next"> predicted</a> in 2014 that Mauna Loa was one of the volcanoes most likely to erupt next. “It can produce pretty big lava flows that travel quickly, so there’s certainly some danger to the people on the Big Island of Hawaii. It’s such a famous volcano that there would be people from all around the world trying to go see it because it’s so well known for having such a large outpouring of lava when it erupts.”

In addition to Alaska and Hawaii, Russell McLendon <a href="https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/translating-uncle-sam/stories/which-us-volcanoes-are-likely-to-erupt-next">lists</a> the Cascade Range of mountains sprawling from Southern British Columbia to Northern California on the list of US volcanoes likely to erupt soon. “They aren't as active as Alaska's volcanoes, but they've caused the most powerful eruptions on U.S. soil, and they're dangerously close to large population centers in California and the Pacific Northwest.”

There are also many theories about volcanoes outside the US that should be closely observed. Included on that list is Campi Flegrei (Italian for burning fields) in Italy, a volcano that <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101006094057.htm">one study</a> suggests wiped out the Neanderthals 40, 000 years ago. Also along the Campanian Arc lies <a href="https://www.livescience.com/27871-mount-vesuvius-pompeii.html">Mount Vesuvius</a>, the only active volcano on the European mainland. Vesuvius is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world because of its proximity to the neighboring city of Naples, but hasn’t had a major eruption since 1944. 

Iceland is also lousy with volcanoes. In 2010, a volcano went off sending plumes of ash into the sky, grounding 100, 000 European flights and resulting in losses estimated at 4 billion euros. Edwards said of Hekla, a stratovolcano in the south of Iceland, “The bigger volcanoes often give you a few weeks of warning or more–you start to get earthquake swarms, you start to get different gases. If it’s an ice-covered volcano, sometimes you see melting early on as magma starts to move. But with Hekla, it’s not unheard of for there to be only a few hours between the first signs of unrest and an eruption.” Hekla is historically more likely to produce flowing lava than do something more explosive, which is fortunate given its popularity as a hiking destination.

Of course, with something like 1,300 potentially active volcanoes worldwide, it’s impossible to predict when and where the next volcano will erupt. But just to be safe, we’ll keep an eye on Alaska.

--

By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Darryl Joseph</a>, <a href="http://earth.com/staff">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Which volcanoes are most likely to erupt next?

With North Korea claiming to have missiles that can reach Alaska,...

A Canadian uranium mining company won’t be fined for twice spilling low-level radioactive sludge outside a Utah waste disposal facility, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission said.

Cameco, based in Saskatoon, Canada, won't be fined in part because the company plans in the future to store the barium sulfate sludge in bags within the trucks.

"However, significant violations in the future could result in a civil penalty," NRC Deputy Regional Administrator Scott Morris wrote the company June 29, the <a href="http://network.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_RADIOACTIVE_SLUDGE_SPILL?SITE=AP&amp;SECTION=HOME&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2017-07-05-17-45-13">Associated Press</a> reported.

Cameco spokesman Gord Struthers said Wednesday that the company is pleased to have resolved the problem to the NRC’s satisfaction. 

After the NRC has signed off on Cameco's corrective measures, shipments of barium sulfate sludge from the Smith Ranch in-situ uranium mine and processing facility in northeast Wyoming will resume, Struthers said.

Cameco officials asked the NRC not to fine the company, saying the radioactive spills didn't endanger anyone.

Low-level radioactive waste leaked from trucks from a Wyoming uranium processing facility in 2015 and 2016.

The first time, sludge spilled over the back of the truck when the driver braked hard to avoid hitting a deer. The second time, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-fukushima-radiation-no-threat/">sludge</a> leaked from a faulty door in the truck container.

Workers noticed the leaks after the trucks arrived outside Energy Fuels Resources' White Mesa Mill waste disposal facility near Blanding, Utah. Testing found no elevated radiation along the roughly 600-mile shipment route through Wyoming, Colorado and Utah.

Cameco committed nine rule violations, all on the low end of the agency's severity scale but five were serious enough to warrant fines, the NRC said.

The sludge that spilled is a normal byproduct of in-situ uranium mining, in which water mixed with oxygen and baking soda dissolves uranium out of underground sandstone deposits. The solution is then processed into yellowcake and nuclear fuel.

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By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://network.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_RADIOACTIVE_SLUDGE_SPILL?SITE=AP&amp;SECTION=HOME&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2017-07-05-17-45-13">AP</a>

U.S. won’t fine Canadian company over radioactive spill

A Canadian uranium mining company won’t be fined for twice...

Policies that encourage carpooling do in fact drastically reduce traffic, a new study concluded.

In Jakarta, Indonesia, travel delays increased 46 percent during the morning rush hour and 87 percent during the evening rush hour, after a policy requiring three or more passengers in a car was discontinued on important city-center roads, the <a href="http://web.mit.edu/">Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> study found.

"Eliminating high-occupancy vehicle restrictions led to substantially worse traffic," said Ben Olken, a professor of economics at MIT and co-author of the study. "That's not shocking, but the magnitudes are just enormous."

Traffic on surrounding roads was also significantly worse on surrounding roads as well after the HOV policy was cancelled.

"HOV policies on central roads were making traffic everywhere better, both during the middle of the day and on these other roads during rush hour," Olken said. "That I think is a really striking result."

Jakarta imposed its HOV regulations in 1992, requiring three passengers in each vehicle on some major roads, between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. and between 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. It suddenly scrapped the policy in 2016, first for a week, then for a month, and then permanently.

The system was criticized in part because of  "jockeys" on the roads -- people charging a small fee to drivers who would let them ride in their cars, bringing vehicles up to the three-person requirement. Commuters would typically pick up jockeys at the edges of the HOV area. Critics questioned whether the HOV policy was reducing the number of vehicles effectively, since it seemed to limit the amount of ride-sharing by actual commuters.

The MIT researchers studied Google Maps data starting in late March, before the policy went into effect, and then continued monitoring its impact into June 2016.

After the HOV policy was abandoned, the average speed of Jakarta's rush hour <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/traffic-noise-birds-stop-singing/">traffic</a> declined from about 17 miles an hour to 12 miles an hour in the mornings, and from about 13 to 7 miles per hour in the evenings, the study said. A person can usually walk at around 3 miles per hour.

"The point of this paper is to show that in a real-world natural experiment, this is what happens," Olken said.

The study was published in the journal <a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

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By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source:  <a href="http://web.mit.edu/">Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a>

Why axing carpool lane policies causes severe traffic headaches

Policies that encourage carpooling do in fact drastically reduce traffic,...

Researchers have pinpointed a gene that plays a key role in depression in humans and animals.

The gene, known as Slc6a15, can amplify or reduce stress, depending on its level of activity, according to the study by the <a href="http://www.medschool.umaryland.edu/">University of Maryland School of Medicine</a>.

"This study really shines a light on how levels of this gene in these neurons affects mood," said the senior author of the study, Mary Kay Lobo. "It suggests that people with altered levels of this gene in certain brain regions may have a much higher risk for depression and other emotional disorders related to stress."

Lobo and her colleagues discovered in 2006 that the Slc6a15 gene was more common among specific neurons in the brain.

Since the gene was recently associated with depression by other researchers, her lab decided to investigate its role in these specific neurons. They focused on a part of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-menstruation-no-effect-brain/">brain</a> called the nucleus accumben, which plays a central role in the brain's "reward circuit."

Neurons in the nucleus accumbens are activated when people eat a delicious meal, have sex, drink alcohol, or have any other kind of enjoyable experience. In depression, any kind of enjoyment can be difficult or impossible, a condition known as anhedonia.

In the new study, researchers studied mice susceptible to depression. When faced with larger, more aggressive mice, they exhibit behavior similar to depression such as withdrawal and lack of interest in food. Levels of the Slc6a15 gene in the D2 neurons of the nucleus accumbens were markedly reduced when the mice were under social stress, the study found.

When the researchers enhanced Slc6a15 levels in D2 neurons, the mice were resilient to social stress.

The study also examined the brains of humans with a history of depression who had committed suicide. Researchers found that the Slc6a15 gene was reduced in the nucleus accumbens of these brains. This indicates that the link between gene and behavior extends from mice to humans, the study said.

It is not yet clear exactly how Slc6a15 works in the brain, but the research could lead to therapies focused on Slc6a15 as a new treatment for depression, Lobo said.

The study was published in the <a href="http://www.jneurosci.org/">Journal of Neuroscience</a>.

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By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.medschool.umaryland.edu/">University of Maryland School of Medicine</a>

Study pinpoints gene that controls depression

Researchers have pinpointed a gene that plays a key role...

Recent climate models have shown California will get hotter and drier over the next several decades. However, new research finds evidence to the contrary, and predicts that the golden state will receive an average of 12 percent more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/relentless-rain-california-nevada-west/">precipitation</a> through the end of the century.

The study projects areas of California which are north of Santa Rosa will have an increase in precipitation by 14.1 percent. The central part of the state, which is defined in the study as beginning just south of San Luis Obispo, will go up in precipitation by 15.2 percent. The southern region, on the other hand, will see less precipitation by 3.3 percent.

The study indicates that the majority of the increase in the golden state's precipitation will take place in the months of December, January, and February. These months will bring nearly 40 percent more precipitation to central regions of California and over 30 percent more precipitation to northern California.

SoCal will also see an increase in precipitation in these winter months by 10.6 percent, according to the study. These percentages have been established in comparison to data from the Global Precipitation Climatology Project between 1979 and 1999.

"Most previous research emphasized uncertainty with regards to future precipitation levels in California, but the overall thought was California would become drier with continued climate change," said Robert Allen from <a href="http://www.ucr.edu/">UC Riverside</a>. "We found the opposite, which is quite surprising."

Allen teamed up with graduate student Rainer Luptowitz for the study. The team investigated 38 climate models from across the globe for their analysis. 

The main reason for the proposed increase in the California's precipitation is rising ocean temperatures. Warming surface temperatures in the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean will cause a shift in the jet stream to the southeast which will bring more mid-latitude cyclones to the golden state.

"Essentially, this mechanism is similar to what we in California expect during an El Nino year," Allen said. "Ultimately, what I am arguing is El Nino-like years are going to become more the norm in California."

Allen pointed out that the prediction of an El Nino-like year does not mean for certain there will be a wet winter in California. Allen said there are many other climatic factors that still must be considered. The study is published today in <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

[caption id="attachment_717969" align="aligncenter" width="300"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/144704.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-717969" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/144704-300x297.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="297" /></a> Image Credit: UC Riverside Strategic Communications[/caption]

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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 

Source: <a href="http://www.ucr.edu/">UC, Riverside</a>

Image Credit: UC Riverside Strategic Communications

Why California will become wetter over the course of this century

Recent climate models have shown California will get hotter and...

Even light oil on birds from spills can make it difficult for them to fly, a new study found.

Researchers at <a href="http://www.uwo.ca/">Western University in Canada</a> applied oil from the 2010 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/long-term-damage-deepwater-horizon-oil-spill/">Deepwater Horizon oil</a> spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 to the backs and bellies of western sandpipers and tested their flight in a wind tunnel. The birds were forced to expend 45 percent more energy than normal.

“They found it hard to keep up with the wind speed,” said Ivan Maggini, one of the researchers. Scientists had to stop half of the flight trials early because the birds kept attempting to land, he said.

Even with only light oil on their wingtips and tails, birds used 20 percent more energy to fly, the study said.

“It's like trying to fly with clipped wings or carrying a ball and chain,” said Maggini.

With no oil on them, the birds flew comfortably for two hours, the researchers found.

“'Birds are often used as the poster children for the deadly effects of oil,” said Maggini.  “However, the effects of oiling go far beyond the unfortunate individuals that become heavily oiled.”

Maggini believes oil reduces the amount of lift that the birds can generate while also increasing the drag that they experience. This could have significant repercussions for the amount of time that the animals take to recover after a high endurance flight.

“We think that our results set a precedent for future oil spill damage assessments by showing how significant small amounts of oil can be for bird flight,” he said. “Every movement they make in the air becomes more costly and this can have cumulative effects on migration, survival and reproduction.”

The study was published in the <a href="http://jeb.biologists.org/">Journal of Experimental Biology</a>.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://jeb.biologists.org/">Journal of Experimental Biology</a>

How even light oil severely affects a bird’s ability to fly

Even light oil on birds from spills can make it...

Although the overall health of oceans globally has been stable over the last five years, it declined in many Arctic and sub-Arctic countries, a new study found.

Improvements in wild-caught fishery management, the creation of marine protected areas, and decreases in harvesting of fish and other natural products may have stabilized ocean health scores in some regions, according to the study by Benjamin Halpern of the <a href="https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/">University of California</a> Santa Barbara.

Declines in Arctic and sub-Arctic countries may be the result of rapid loss of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-ice-and-salty-snow-impact-air-pollution-in-the-arctic/">sea ice</a> which reduced coastal protection, the study said. 

Halpern and his colleagues analyzed five years' worth of Ocean Health Index data for 220 countries. The index measures factors such as biodiversity, coastal protection, and clean waters.

“One of the things that's so powerful about the Ocean Health Index is that it allows you to compare the health of oceans any place on the planet, over time, with a directly comparable measure," said Halpern. "You can ask some of the most basic yet most important questions about the state of our planet: how are the oceans doing, and what factors are driving changes in ocean health. We can finally start answering those questions."

The index can predict short-term changes in global ocean health, but additional resources for measuring changes on a global scale would greatly help with management and protection of ocean health now and in the future, the authors said.

The study was published in the journal <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS ONE</a>.

[caption id="attachment_717953" align="aligncenter" width="300"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/144357.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-717953" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/144357-300x204.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="204" /></a> Image Credit: Halpern et al (2017)[/caption]

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By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS ONE</a>

Image Credit: Halpern et al (2017)

Study: Ocean health stable, with some exceptions

Although the overall health of oceans globally has been stable...

A new study reveals that mice who have an inferior sense of smell are burning away calories much faster than those with a good sense of smell. The report, published today in the journal <a href="http://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/home">Cell Metabolism</a>, explains the mice were engineered to lack a sense of smell and kept on a high-fat diet. To the surprise of the researchers, the mice with a lessened sense of smell lost a drastic amount of weight.

Researchers initially thought that the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/male-pheromone-enhances-sexual-behavior/">mice</a> who lacked a sense of smell were simply eating less, but further analysis showed that they were eating the same amount of food as the mice in the control group. They were able to shed an average of 16 percent of their body weight, the majority of which was from fat. 

"It's one of the most interesting discoveries to come out of my lab," said lead author Andrew Dillin, professor of molecular and cell biology at the University of California, Berkeley. "What's happening to those calories?"

Dillin explained that the senses of smell and taste are heightened when it is time to eat, and are reduced drastically after feeding. He expected that the lack of smell would lessen the mouse's appetite, which was not the case. 

The diet fed to the mouse was so high in fat that two others given the same foods became obese. The mouse without a sense of smell, however, dropped nearly a third of its weight.

"I never expected turning off smell would have such dramatic weight-loss effects," said Dillin.

The team wanted to rule out the possibility that they had killed more than just olfactory sensory neurons in the process of removing the sense of smell in the first mouse. They used a different approach to take away the sense of smell in a second mouse. This mouse lost almost almost the same amount of weight as the first mouse. 

The team turned their attention to fat deposits in the population and discovered that the brown fat deposits were actively burning. The white fat deposits were transforming into brown fat deposits and also began burning.

"The mice with no sense of smell had turned on a program to burn fat," said Dillin.

They did have high levels of adrenaline in their blood which suggests that there may be a link between olfactory sensory neurons and the sympathetic nervous system. Further research will be conducted to test this theory. 

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source: <a href="http://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/home">Cell Metabolism</a>

Mice with no sense of smell actively burn fat

A new study reveals that mice who have an inferior...

The reality of self-driving cars seems a bit far-fetched even with today's technology. However, a new study has determined that cars are not only capable of driving themselves but also of making moral and ethical decisions.

Researchers have established that human morality can be modeled by machines. Leon Sütfeld led a study which reveals that algorithms can be applied to mimic the moral decisions of humans. This was previously thought to be too complex of a process to be represented by an algorithm.

“Human behavior in dilemma situations can be modeled by a rather simple value-of-life-based model that is attributed by the participant to every human, animal, or inanimate object,” explains Sütfeld.

The team used virtual reality to create situations where participants faced various predicaments. The tests simulated driving through a neighborhood in foggy conditions, and the individuals had to make decisions that could result in colliding with animals, inanimate objects, or other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/summer-heat-people-grouchy/">people</a>. 

The results of the evaluations were analyzed to develop statistical models based on the innate reactions of the participants. It turns out that the decisions made by the drivers could be easily predicted and modeled.

Professor Gordon Pipa is a senior author of the study. He says that the results of this study raise new questions regarding the future of self-driving vehicles. 

Pipa says, "We need to ask whether autonomous systems should adopt moral judgements, if yes, should they imitate moral behavior by imitating human decisions, should they behave along ethical theories and if so, which ones and critically, if things go wrong who or what is at fault?"

The authors of the study express an urgent need for clear cut regulations for autonomous cars before the cars can make their own decisions.

"Now that we know how to implement human ethical decisions into machines we, as a society, are still left with a double dilemma," explains Professor Peter König, a senior author of the paper. "Firstly, we have to decide whether moral values should be included in guidelines for machine behavior and secondly, if they are, should machines act just like humans."

The research was conducted at The Institute of Cognitive Science at the University of Osnabrück, and is  published in the journal <a href="http://journal.frontiersin.org/journal/behavioral-neuroscience">Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source: <a href="http://journal.frontiersin.org/journal/behavioral-neuroscience">Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience</a>

Self-driving cars may soon be capable of making ethical decisions

The reality of self-driving cars seems a bit far-fetched even...

In recent years, it has become increasingly common for women to decide to have a child on their own without a partner. But this has sparked some debate about how well the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/parents-kids-good-people-values/">kids</a> will adapt with just one parent. But a new study has found that there were no differences in parent-child relationships or child development between single-mother-by-choice and heterosexual two-parent families.

However, the study by <a href="https://www.vumc.com/">VU University Medical Center</a> in Amsterdam, did find that the single-mothers-by-choice have a greater social support network.

"Children in both family types are doing well in terms of their well-being," said VU investigator Mathilde Brewaeys. "Single-mothers-by-choice and their children benefit from a good social support network, and this should be emphasized in the counselling of women who want to have and raise a child without a partner." 

Pregnancy without a partner is increasingly popular in Europe, with fertility treatment of single women now available in most countries.

"The assumption that growing up in a family without a father is not good for the child is based mainly on research into children whose parents are divorced and who thus have experienced parental conflict," explained Brewaeys said. "However, it seems likely that any negative influence on child development depends more on a troubled parent-child relationship and not on the absence of a father.”

Unlike unintended single mothers, single-mothers-by-choice make the decision to raise their child alone. 

“Little research has been done on the specific features of these single-mothers-by-choice families and whether there are differences between them and heterosexual two-parent families in terms of parent-child relationship, parental social support and well-being of the children," Brewaeys said

In the study, researchers compared 69 single-mothers-by-choice and 59 mothers from heterosexual two-parent families with a child between the ages of 1.5 and 6 years. Parent-child relationships, mothers' social support network, and children's well-being were compared between family types according to three validated questionnaires.

The analysis found no significant differences in emotional involvement or parental stress between family types. Single-mothers-by-choice showed significantly higher scores on the social support they received, but also on wanting more social support.

Also, there were no significant differences in the children's well-being between both family types.

"A strong social network is of crucial importance," said Brewaeys. "So I would recommend that all women considering single motherhood by choice make sure of a strong social network - brothers, sisters, parents, friends of neighbours. And to never be afraid to ask for help.”

Brewaeys will present the results of the study at the 33rd annual meeting of the <a href="https://www.eshre.eu/">European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology</a>.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.eshre.eu/">European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology</a>

Kids from single moms do just as well as two-parent families

In recent years, it has become increasingly common for women...

New research has addressed claims that the stress of fertility treatment causes irreparable damage to marriages. The study assessed the relationships of over 40,000 women who received fertility treatment, and established that this treatment does not increase the likelihood of divorce. 

The study was based on the records of all women who received assisted reproduction treatment (ART) in Denmark between 1994 and 2009. It was confirmed that these patients had been married or living with their partner for at least two years prior to the study. The ages of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/women-confident-caring-work/">women</a> in treatment were matched to women from the general population to create a control group.

The study followed up on the couples over the next 16 years. Approximately 20 percent of the women ended up separated or divorced. This number was found to be no different in women who had received fertility treatment and women in the control group.

"Our results will be reassuring for couples who have had or are contemplating IVF," said Dr. Mariana Martins, a psychology professor from the University of Porto, Portugal. "Findings on the security of relationships and parenthood can be particularly helpful in supporting patients' commitment to treatment."

Dr. Martins says the results of the study do not disprove the theory that the stress caused by fertility treatment can end relationships.

"We have previously found that subjects who divorce, repartner and come back to treatment are the ones that five years before had the most stress," she explained. "We also know that despite all the strain that this infertility can bring, going through ART can actually bring benefit to a couple's relationship, because it forces them to improve communication and coping strategies."

Dr. Martins pointed out that fertility treatment causes some level of stress for most couples, but it can bring couples closer together as they are both patients in a sense, "even though the male partner often adopts the role of a supportive caregiver.”

"We believe that providing couples with appropriate knowledge and expectations about success rates and the burden that ART can bring to a marriage will make that treatment much easier for most couples," Martins explained. 

Dr. Martins will present the results of the study today at the 33rd Annual Meeting of <a href="https://www.eshre.eu/">European Society Of Human Reproduction And Embryology</a> in Geneva.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source: <a href="https://www.eshre.eu/">European Society Of Human Reproduction And Embryology</a>

Fertility treatment does not increase likelihood of divorce

New research has addressed claims that the stress of fertility...

Humpback whales have a variety of lunging tactics that they deploy according to the fish they are hunting. Their prey have also adapted various strategies that help them escape the pursuit of humpback whales, according to a new study.

Dr Nicholas Carey from the <a href="http://goldbogen.stanford.edu/">Goldbogen lab at Stanford University's Hopkins Marine Station</a> collaborated with scientists from IAMC-CNR, Italy for the study. The team used data from actual whale lunges along with lab simulations to evaluate the lunging strategies of humpback whales.

"Our results illustrate the complex balance between whale attacks and fish escape responses, and how the lunge characteristics of the whales may be related to the escape abilities of targeted prey," said Dr. Paolo Domenici, who participated in the analysis. 

The researchers believe that this study can reveal how whales may be changing their attack patterns for different types of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ground-spiders-ambush-prey/">prey</a>. This is intended to optimize their efforts, which the scientists describe as “very energetically costly.”

Humpback whales feed on a broad range of species including krill, herring, sardines and anchovies. These fish have unique movements so the whales must develop different motions in order to capture them.

"Anchovies are likely to swim faster and cover greater distances compared to krill, and so may have better ability to escape an oncoming whale," said Dr. Carey. "We think that these different characteristics may require varying attack strategies by the whales."

Humpback whales commonly feed on large numbers of prey by accelerating to high speeds and lunging at entire groups of fish. They ingest a large amount of water and filter out the prey through their filter feeders. 

The team acquired lunging data from live humpback whales during feeding. Electronic tags provided information about the whales’ speed and timing as they pursued their prey.They collected the data to create a “looming stimulus” model, and used it to observe the escape responses of anchovies.

"Anchovies are among the most abundant fish in the oceans, forming vast schools of millions of individuals and are targeted by a multitude of predators," said Dr Carey, "because of this, they have evolved to be speedy, vigilant and highly responsive to approaching threats."

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source: <a href="http://goldbogen.stanford.edu/">Goldbogen Lab</a>

Simulations show how prey escape from humpback whale attacks

Humpback whales have a variety of lunging tactics that they...

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;



---



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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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