Astronomers caught a star system at the moment when solid grains began to form planets. This snapshot reveals how planets first start to form, just as Earth once did.



The infant star HOPS-315 sits about 1,300 light-years, roughly 7.6 quadrillion miles, away in the constellation Orion. Around it whirls a disc of gas and dust where heat is high enough to bake rock yet cool enough for those rocks to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-do-giant-planets-form/">re-form</a>.



<a href="https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/staffmembers/melissa-mcclure#tab-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Melissa McClure</a> of Leiden University led the international team that pieced together these first moments of planetary assembly. Their finding gives researchers a live laboratory that mirrors the opening chapter of the Solar System’s own story.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-planets-form-from-early-solids">How planets form from early solids</h2>



In primitive meteorites, tiny calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions tell us that the Solar System’s clock started ticking <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1226919" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">4.567 billion</a> years ago. Those inclusions condensed from a searing vapor and seeded every terrestrial planet we know.



Because the clock starts with condensation, catching that step beyond the Sun has been an astronomer’s white whale. 



The new observation marks the first time any telescope has seen <a href="https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2022/cp/d2cp02188a" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gas-phase silicon monoxide</a> (SiO) alongside freshly crystallizing silicates in the same patch of a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/protoplanetary-disk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">protoplanetary disc</a>.



McClure’s team spotted the minerals within an orbit comparable to our asteroid belt. That match matters, for it pins early <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-planets-form-its-much-more-complicated-than-we-thought/">chemistry</a> to a region that later fed Earth with water and metals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crystals-forming-around-hops-315">Crystals forming around HOPS-315</h2>



The James Webb Space Telescope (<a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JWST</a>) collects infrared light that pierces the dust cocoon shrouding HOPS-315, revealing the distinct fingerprint of hot SiO molecules. Those molecules glow at about 2,200°F, a temperature that vaporizes most common rocks.



<a href="https://www.almaobservatory.org/en/home/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ALMA</a>, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, then measured the same region at millimeter wavelengths and mapped where the glow comes from. 



By combining the two views, scientists confirmed that both gas and solid forms of silicon occupy a ring no farther than 2 astronomical units from the star.



Handling these observations is tricky because HOPS-315 also drives a jet rich in SiO. The team disentangled the jet’s signal from the disc’s by checking velocities, the jet gas races outward, whereas disc material <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/july-2025-skywatching-bright-planets-and-a-summer-constellation/">orbits</a> sedately.



A final check involved comparing the brightness of different SiO lines. The ratio matched laboratory predictions for vapor that is actively condensing, adding yet another layer of confidence to the result.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-planets-forming-from-gas-and-crystals">Planets forming from gas and crystals</h2>



Crystalline silicates appear where cooling vapor meets a sharp fall in temperature. The presence of both phases at one location means condensation is happening right now, not long ago nor far away in another part of the disc.



“This process has never been seen before in a protoplanetary disc, or anywhere outside our Solar System,” said <a href="https://lsa.umich.edu/astro/people/core-faculty/ebergin.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Edwin Bergin</a> of the <a href="https://lsa.umich.edu/astro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Michigan</a>, a co-author on the study. 



He adds that the minerals are the same kind locked inside 4.5-billion-year-old meteorites on Earth’s shelves.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://cdn.eso.org/images/wallpaper5/eso2512a.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/solar-system-forming_HOPS-315_ESO_1s.webp" alt="This is HOPS-315, a baby star where astronomers have observed evidence for the earliest stages of planet formation. Together with data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), these observations show that hot minerals are beginning to solidify. In orange we see the distribution of carbon monoxide, blowing away from the star in a butterfly-shaped wind. In blue we see a narrow jet of silicon monoxide, also beaming away from the star. These gaseous winds and jets are common around baby stars like HOPS-315. Credit: ALMA(ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/M. McClure et al." class="wp-image-1978595"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This is HOPS-315, a baby star where astronomers have observed evidence for the earliest stages of planet formation. Together with data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), these observations show that hot minerals are beginning to solidify. In orange we see the distribution of carbon monoxide, blowing away from the star in a butterfly-shaped wind. In blue we see a narrow jet of silicon monoxide, also beaming away from the star. These gaseous winds and jets are common around baby stars like HOPS-315. Click image to enlarge. Credit: ALMA(ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/M. McClure et al.</figcaption></figure>



“We’re really seeing these minerals at the same location in this extrasolar system as where we see them in asteroids in the Solar System,” said co-author, Logan Francis from the Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (<a href="https://affoa.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AFFOA</a>). 



He notes that the condensation zone sits at almost the same orbital radius as our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/asteroids-found-in-the-main-belt-are-the-smallest-ever-detected/">asteroid belt</a>. 



The mineral grains measure less than a micrometer across, yet they mark the first step toward kilometer-scale planetesimals. Electrostatic forces will make them clump for thousands of years until <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astronomers-announce-evidence-suggesting-that-our-solar-system-has-nine-planets-again/">gravity</a> takes over.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hops-315-mirrors-earth-s-origins">HOPS-315 mirrors Earth’s origins</h2>



Laboratory studies show that minerals rich in silicon and oxygen condense first, followed quickly by iron-nickel alloys and then more volatile compounds. 



Seeing hot SiO vapor around HOPS-315 hints that a similar chemical parade is marching there.



By estimating the star’s luminosity and the disc’s temperature gradient, McClure’s group concludes that crystalline silicates could mass about a tenth of the Moon. That is plenty to seed multiple rocky planets if subsequent growth is efficient, as models suggest.



Isotopic <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/1708.02631" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> on chondrules indicates that the earliest building blocks in our own <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/jupiters-past-how-the-young-gas-giant-shaped-our-solar-system/">Solar System</a> formed within the first million years, a timescale now testable in real time with HOPS-315.



Matching astronomical data to isotope chronometers promises a much sharper picture of planet formation than meteoritic studies alone.



The discovery may also shed light on why Earth contains less carbon than nebular models predict. If early minerals trap oxygen and silicon immediately, carbon may remain gaseous longer and get pushed outward before it can join newborn worlds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-next-in-watching-planets-form">What’s next in watching planets form</h2>



Over the next year, ALMA will return to HOPS-315 to look for water ice farther out in the disc. 



If water lines up beyond the silicate ring, astronomers can test whether rocky seeds migrate inward before they acquire ice mantles, a step that may explain why Earth ended up with oceans.



JWST will track how the SiO signature evolves. A steady decline would show vapor freezing out, whereas a surge could hint at heating bursts from magnetic flares or spiral shocks.



<figure class="wp-block-embed 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/0j-MH6_QlBA?si=3P8FgBE0O2TTWsnM
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Witnessing the dawn of a new solar system. Credit: ESO</figcaption></figure>



Beyond the specifics of HOPS-315, the result boosts confidence that rocky planets are common. If condensation begins so early, many stars may launch planet formation well before their gas discs disperse, leaving time for worlds to migrate, collide, and settle into stable orbits.



Astronomer Elizabeth Humphreys at ESO, who was not involved in the study, said she was “really impressed” that the team could pinpoint the first solids. 



She argues that the synergy of Webb and ALMA is revealing a Universe “in which the steps toward life-bearing planets start earlier than we dared hope.”



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09163-z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



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Astronomers capture the birth of a new solar system for the first time ever

Astronomers caught a star system at the moment when solid grains began to form planets. This snapshot reveals how planets first start to form, just as Earth once did. The infant star HOPS-315 sits about 1,300 light-years, roughly 7.6 quadrillion miles, away in the constellation Orion. Around it whirls a disc of gas and dust where heat is high enough to bake rock yet cool enough for those rocks to re-form. Melissa McClure of Leiden University led the international team that pieced together these first moments of...

Yoga is just as safe and effective as physical therapy in treating lower back pain, a new study found.

Researchers from <a href="https://www.bmc.org/">Boston Medical Center</a> randomly assigned 320 participants suffering from chronic lower back pain to 12 weekly yoga classes, 15 physical therapy visits, or an educational book and newsletters about coping with their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossil-reveals-human-spine-originated/">pain</a>. The participants were predominantly low-income, racially diverse adults.

An estimated 10 percent of U.S. adults are affected by chronic lower back pain, the study said.

It is more common among racial and ethnic minorities and in people of lower socioeconomic status, the study said.

Currently, physical therapy is the most common evidence-based, reimbursable, and non-pharmacologic therapy prescribed by physicians. But clinical guidelines, meta-analyses, and several large randomized controlled trials also support yoga. This was the first study to compare the two therapies.

After a year,  researchers found that a yoga class designed for chronic low back pain patients was as effective as physical therapy for reducing pain, improving function, and lowering use of pain medication.

Compared to an education-only intervention, patients who did yoga or physical therapy were also less likely to take pain medications at 12 weeks. 

The researchers concluded that yoga may be a reasonable alternative to physical therapy depending upon patient preferences, availability, and cost.

The findings are published in <a href="http://annals.org/">Annals of Internal Medicine</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.acponline.org/"> American College of Physicians</a>

Yoga just as effective as physical therapy for lower back pain

Yoga is just as safe and effective as physical therapy...

When in their territory, chimpanzees patrol their domain in groups – much for the same reason that wolves hunt in packs. By working together, these animals are able to be a much more significant force than when they’re working alone.

These patrols are a big deal, and consist of multiple individuals (usually male chimps) that walk the edges of their territory, and sometimes deep into their neighbors territory as well. Researchers have observed that during these patrols, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chimpanzees-pass-skills-generation/">chimpanzees</a> become hypervigilant. Their behavior suggests that they are actively searching for neighboring chimpanzees. And if a patroller finds members of a rival group, they will attack and sometimes kill them.

Given these behaviors, its believed that territorial boundary patrolling by chimpanzees is an incredible example of their group-level cooperation. 

Researchers were wondering what the benefit is to individual males who choose to go on these patrols, as they are often dangerous and put the patrolling chimps in harms way. Overall, the patrols benefit the group by increasing territory size and food supply – but researchers noticed that individuals are not punished if they choose not to perform patrol duty.

In an effort to understand how male chimps are able to cooperate at this level, Keven Langergraber of <a href="https://www.asu.edu/">Arizona State University</a> and a team of researchers combed through twenty years of data on who participated in patrols in a 200-member group of chimpanzees in Kibale National Park, Uganda. 

The group combined analyses of patrol participation with the results of paternity testing on 122 group offspring. They found that patrolling actually paid off in the long run because it increased group size, which is an important factor in inter-group competition. 

“The Ngogo chimpanzees patrol and kill neighbors more frequently than any other chimpanzee group,” says John Mitani of the <a href="https://www.umich.edu/">University of Michigan</a>, who has studied this group of chimpanzees for 22 years.

Over a ten-year stretch of time, the Ngogo chimpanzees expanded their territory by 22 percent, and killed 13 other chimps from a neighboring group. Because of this success, they benefited from an above average food supply and long life expectancies. 

The study found that males varied in how often they patrolled. High-ranking individuals, who were generally in better physical condition, patrolled frequently. Males with more offspring also patrolled more often, although many males without offspring still participated.

But patrolling takes energy and can be life threatening for a chimp. In addition, time spent patrolling means less time for eating or mating with females. So why would males without offspring patrol at the benefit of the relatives of other individuals?

The researchers believe they do this because in this large group, reproduction is not exclusive to the high-ranking males. So males who had no offspring yet still patrolled may be rewarded by being able to reproduce in the future, as increasing the size of the group means more chances to mate in the long run.

“We know that humans have means ranging from gossip to drastic punishment to aid cooperation in group settings,” says Langergraber. “The puzzle has been to explain cooperation in animal societies, where shirking would seem an attractive option. Most studies have focused on short term benefits of cooperation,” he adds, “but our study shows the benefit of long-term data collection, and also that we still have a lot to learn from these chimpanzees.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.asu.edu/">Arizona State University</a>

Image Credit: Kevin E. Langergraber

Chimpanzees patrol their territory... and it pays off

When in their territory, chimpanzees patrol their domain in groups...

The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/125-million-dinosaur-fossil-found-spain/">dinosaur</a> age was likely ushered in by huge pulses of volcanic activity which triggered the Triassic mass extinction, according to a new study.

The Triassic extinction approximately 200 million years ago was one of the largest mass extinctions of animal life on record with a casualty list that included large crocodile-like reptiles and several marine invertebrates, the <a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford</a> study said. It is still a mystery why dinosaurs survived, but they filled the vacancies left by the now extinct wildlife species, alongside early mammals and amphibians.

The extinction has long been linked to a large and abrupt release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, but the exact source of this emission has been unknown.

The discovery of volcanic rocks of the same age as the extinction suggested volcanic carbon dioxide emissions as an important contributor to the extinction event. 

Researchers from the Oxford University Department of Earth Science worked with the <a href="http://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter </a>and<a href="http://www.southampton.ac.uk/"> Southampton University</a> to trace the global impact of major volcanic gas emissions and their link to the end of the Triassic period. The findings link volcanoes to the repeated large emissions of carbon dioxide. 

Volcanoes emit mercury gas emissions, which spread globally through the atmosphere, before being deposited in sediments. Any sediments left during a large volcanic event would be expected to have unusually high mercury content.

The new research analyzed mercury levels from six sediment deposits from the United Kingdom, Austria, Argentina, Greenland, Canada and Morocco. Five of the six showed a large increase in mercury content beginning at the end-Triassic extinction horizon, with other peaks observed between the extinction horizon and the Triassic-Jurassic boundary, which occurred about 200,000 thousand years later.

Elevated mercury emissions also coincided with previously established increases in atmospheric CO2 concentrations, indicating CO2 release from volcanic degassing.

“These results strongly support repeated episodes of volcanic activity at the end of the Triassic, with the onset of volcanism during the end-Triassic extinction,” said Lawrence Percival, lead author and geochemistry graduate student at Oxford University. “These results strongly support repeated episodes of volcanic activity at the end of the Triassic, with the onset of volcanism during the end-Triassic extinction.”

The research “enhances our understanding of this event, and potentially of other climate change episodes in Earth's history,” Percival added.

--

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.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford </a>

Study: Volcanic activity led to dawn of dinosaurs

The dinosaur age was likely ushered in by huge pulses...

Fossils of an extinct species from the Triassic Period are the missing link that connects frogs, toads, and other amphibians to wormlike creatures with a backbone and two rows of sharp teeth, according to a new study.

The fossil, named Chinlestegophis jenkinsi, was from the oldest relative of the most mysterious group of amphibians: caecilians. They are limbless, colorful, serpentine carnivores that today live underground and range in size from 6 inches to 5 feet.

Paleontologists used 3-D X-rays to reassemble the fossil remains of two C. jenkinsi specimens discovered in Colorado. Parts of a skull, spinal column, ribs, shoulder and legs survived in the fossils of the first specimen. Only the skull was distinguishable in the second specimen.

The study, published in <a href="http://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>, expands the known history of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/frogs-highly-evolved-skeletons/">frogs</a>, toads, and salamanders by at least 15 million years. It also closes a major gap in early caecilian evolution by connecting them to stereospondyls, animals with toilet-seat heads that were the most diverse amphibian group during the Triassic era more than 200 million years ago.

"Our textbook-changing discovery will require paleontologists to re-evaluate the timing of the origin of modern amphibian groups and how they evolved," said Adam Huttenlocker, senior author of the study and an assistant professor at the<a href="http://keck.usc.edu/"> University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine.</a>

The story of the stereospondyl order was considered a dead-end because, although widespread during the Triassic Period, the animals were believed to be unrelated to anything alive today, the new study said. The two recently discovered fossils dispel that theory and suggest that the amphibian lineage of today evolved from a common ancestor some 315 million years ago.

Before C. jenkinsi, scientists had found only two other caecilian fossils from the Age of Dinosaurs and -- unlike the two recently unearthed -- those came later and had reduced limbs, more closely resembling their contemporary living relatives, the study said.

"Because humans are also vertebrates, we enhance our understanding of our own evolutionary history and genetic heritage when we gain understanding of the amphibian lineage," said Jason Pardo, lead author of the study and a doctoral candidate in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the <a href="http://www.ucalgary.ca/">University of Calgary</a> in Alberta, Canada.

The burrows the fossils were preserved in were almost two inches wide, meaning they could not have been very big, the study reported. 

Their bullet-shaped skulls were just under an inch long, so the ancient caecilian was probably about the size of a small salamander, Huttenlocker added.

During the summer, this central Colorado area would have been scorching, which is probably why these subterranean animals thrived. Big dinosaurs like early relatives of the Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops could not have existed in such conditions, Huttenlocker said.

"The ancient caecilians lived in these burrows deep in the soil down to about the level of the water table so that they could keep wet and avoid the extreme aridity from the dry season," Huttenlocker said. "I'm going back to Colorado this summer and hope to find more animals with more complete skeletons. We'll find one. This is just the initial report."

--

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.usc.edu/">University of Southern California</a>

Image Credit: Jorge Gonzalez

New fossils provide missing link to mysterious amphibians

Fossils of an extinct species from the Triassic Period are...

The fight against <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reducing-heat-islands-climate-change/">climate change</a> and its devastating effects is one of the most challenging issues facing the United States, as well as the rest of the world. At this point, there is a legitimate question as to whether the country can make the switch to a reliable and affordable energy system that relies almost exclusively on wind, solar, and hydroelectric power. A recent study published in <a href="http://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a> (PNAS) by 21 of the country’s leading energy experts finds that getting to the point of net-zero carbon emissions would require a much broader strategy of energy sources and approaches than most people think.

Previous research stated that the United States could be relying on just solar, wind, and hydroelectric power in as few as 35 to 40 years. The researchers in this most recent study are very critical of that analysis – essentially saying that these projections are not supported by proper data and do not accurately predict the complexities of this process.

“Wind, solar and hydroelectric power can, and will, be important parts of any moves to decarbonize our energy system and therefore combat climate change, but given today’s technical challenges and infrastructure realities, renewables won’t be the only solution,” says David Victor, an energy expert at the <a href="https://ucsd.edu/">UC San Diego</a> School of Global Policy and Strategy.

The researchers believe the United States will require a broader portfolio of clean energy technologies in order for the transition to a low-carbon-emission energy system to be a reality. Their analysis points to data that indicates this path will be much more feasible and less costly.

“A policy prescription that overpromises on the benefits of relying on a narrower portfolio of technologies options could be counterproductive, seriously impeding the move to a cost effective decarbonized energy system,” the authors write in their analysis.

The type of energy portfolio the researchers envision likely includes bionergy, wind, solar, hydroelectric, nuclear energy, and carbon capture. They point out many challenges involved in moving towards a system relying purely on wind, solar, and hydroelectric power. 

“We are focused on helping governments, communities, companies and societies cut emissions of warming gases given the very real technological, economic and political constraints that exist,” says George Tynan, associate dean of the <a href="https://ucsd.edu/">UC San Diego</a> Jacobs School of Engineering. “It’s important for policy makers and the public to understand we still have significant progress to make before we are have a realistic chance of achieving the required emissions reductions reliably and cost effectively.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://ucsd.edu/">UC San Diego</a>

Why fighting global warming requires a full spectrum strategy

The fight against climate change and its devastating effects is...

Every conservative political party in the world recognizes the existence of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/calculating-cost-climate-change-2/">climate change</a> with the exception of the United States Republican Party. Why is this? More importantly, how did one of the most powerful political groups in the world become blatantly against what most scientists are calling man’s greatest threat of our time?  

It seems this rift can be attributed to the polarization of American politics and the fundamentalist view on economic regulation from the party. Last one standing on climate change denial is not a characteristic Republicans should be proud of, and understanding the path the party took to this conclusion may help all Americans get up to speed with the latest and greatest happenings of environmental protection.  

Though politics tend to work more smoothly when politicians reach across the aisle, the most recent political era has featured heated political opposition that has led to deeper disparities between Democrats and Republicans. Unfortunately, this did a disservice for environmentalism which was spearheaded by progressive liberals. Many of the day-to-day solutions to climate change revolve around curbing consumption which contradicts a very Republican ideal of valuing all personal freedoms. This has resulted in the outright rejection of environmental science and its ideas simply out of opposition of more democratic methodology. 

Furthermore, the Republican party platform focuses on smaller government - vehemently opposing most regulation. Naturally, this lends to support for business of all kinds which can include exploitive industries like big oil which brings in trillions of dollars in revenue for some of America’s most wealthy. This, amongst many other industries, is an obvious interest into why the GOP would want to deny the reality of environmental consequences caused by such corporations. They seek to protect commerce from crippling regulations at the cost of damaging our environment. 

Though some Republican legislators may personally accept the science, few have taken a stance against party ideals and their corporate priorities. Many of these sentiments are fueled (no pun intended) by international economic competition like China. If China is not going to curb their environmental footprint why should we? How can America remain as productive with environmental restrictions? This ideology may result in America missing the ball on technological advances and new alternatives to more environmentally costly industries – hurting our role in the future economy. 

While the evidence behind climate change becomes more and more undeniable, the Republican Party has continuously and dangerously ignored the science. In GOP versus record setting temperatures, rising sea levels, extreme weather, and dying populations, who will win? Certainly not the health of our country nor the global environment. 

--

By <a href="mailto:bianca@earth.com">Bianca Vierra</a>, <a href="http://earth.com/staff">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Why is the Republican Party in such denial about climate change?

Every conservative political party in the world recognizes the existence...

Extraction of shale oil has affected the landscape in Texas – but the benefits could help mitigate the damage, according to a new report by The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas (TAMEST).

The report was based on extensive research conducted and compiled by TAMEST’s <a href="http://tamest.org/shale-task-force/members/">Shale Task Force</a>, which includes experts in the study of earthquakes, land resources, air and water quality, and other environmental fields.

The task force aimed to show which parts of the shale oil extraction process were working in Texas, and which aspects still need improvement.

"In life, we learn by doing. This report shows what we've learned in Texas about the impacts from shale oil and gas development, and I hope others can benefit from our experience," task force chairwoman Christine Ehlig-Economides said.

They shared several findings with the public:
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Earthquakes have increased a small amount in Texas, from about two per year to 12 to 15 each year. They are not directly associated with hydraulic fracturing itself; however, there is an established link between earthquakes and the injection method most fracking sites use to dispose of wastewater from the fracking process.</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">About 5 percent of polluters account for about 50 percent of air pollution in the state. New federal regulations have helped to reduce the amount of overall pollution.</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Fracking uses only about 1 percent of water in the state, but because the industry is focused in a few counties, water use can be unbalanced. Fracking uses anywhere from 1 to 5 million gallons of water per well.</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Road damage connecting to the shale oil and gas industries costs the state $1.5 to $2 billion per year.</li>
</ul>
They recommended that:
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Texas increase the number of seismic monitoring stations.</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">The state adopt an act that would provide for the protection of surface lands.</li>
</ul>
They also noted that communities near shale oil and gas sites see improvements in the local economy, schools and health care. However, they raised concerns about noise, pollution, traffic and public safety, the researchers said.

The report was released by the Shale Task Force. Funding for the study was provided by <a href="http://tamest.org/">TAMEST</a> and the <a href="http://www.cgmf.org/">Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation</a>. No funding was accepted from oil or gas industry interests, although a very small percentage of the task force membership have backgrounds in the industry.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Task force reviews impacts of Texas shale oil extraction

Extraction of shale oil has affected the landscape in Texas...

Scientists have established that birds and other mammals are able to recognize faces. Fish are typically considered too simple-minded for complex tasks such as facial recognition, yet emerging research reveals this is not the case. 

Researchers from <a href="http://www.osaka-cu.ac.jp/en">Osaka City University</a> in Japan used a species of fish called Masked Julie for their study. These tiny striped fish live in East Africa's Lake Tanganyika in spaces between rocks.

The scientists collected eight individual Masked Julie males and placed them into a tank. Digital models of fish were also distributed into the tank. Some of these electronic fish had face and body characteristics which were familiar to the Masked Julie fish, while others had unfamiliar features. 

The researchers determined that the Masked Julie fish spent much more time investigating the digital fish with unfamiliar faces. This indicated that the fish were using a type of facial recognition ability to detect threats.

“If this fish used only the face to recognise others, that would show that ‘face’ is an important social cue,” said researcher Takashi Hotta. “We found that our subjects were especially guarded against only unfamiliar face models, regardless of body type.”

Patterns around the eyes are social signals for other animals who use facial recognition,  and the research team believes this species of fish is no exception. 

Prior to this study, a team of <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/record-rainfall-queensland-australia/">Australian</a> and American scientists discovered that the archerfish is able to distinguish between faces with a high degree of accuracy. This attribute had never previously been assigned to fish. 

Like the archerfish, the Julie Fish exhibited an impressive degree of accuracy in facial recognition. The scientists displayed images of fish on a monitor above the fish tank. Tests revealed that the Masked Julie fish could identify a single familiar face out of a group of  up to 44 unfamiliar faces. 

--

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.osaka-cu.ac.jp/en">Osaka City University</a>

How fish can monitor threats by actually recognizing faces

Scientists have established that birds and other mammals are able...

Meditation, yoga, and Tai Chi can reverse the molecular reactions in our DNA which cause ill-health and depression, a new study said.

When a person is exposed to a stressful event, their sympathetic nervous system which is responsible for the 'fight-or-flight' response, is triggered. This, in turn, increases production of a molecule called nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB), which regulates how our genes are expressed, the study said.

NF-kB activates genes to produce proteins called cytokines that cause inflammation at the cellular level. This is a reaction that is useful as a short-lived fight-or-flight reaction, but if persistent, leads to a higher risk of cancer, accelerated aging, and psychiatric disorders like depression, according to a study by <a href="http://www.coventry.ac.uk/">Coventry University</a> and <a href="http://www.ru.nl/english/">Radboud University</a>.

However, people who practice mind-body interventions (MBIs) such as yoga and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/daily-meditation-works-wonders/">meditation</a> exhibit the opposite effect. They experience a decrease in production of NF-kB and cytokines, leading to a reversal of the pro-inflammatory gene expression pattern and a reduction in the risk of inflammation-related diseases and conditions, the study said.

The research, published in the journal <a href="http://journal.frontiersin.org/journal/immunology">Frontiers in Immunology</a>, reviews more than a decade of studies analysing how the behavior of genes is affected by different MBIs.

When examined together, the 18 studies -- featuring 846 participants over 11 years -- reveal a pattern in the molecular changes which happen to the body as a result of MBIs, and how those changes benefit our mental and physical health.

The researchers focus on the way genes activate to produce proteins which influence the biological makeup of the body, the brain, and the immune system.

"Millions of people around the world already enjoy the health benefits of mind-body interventions like yoga or meditation, but what they perhaps don't realize is that these benefits begin at a molecular level and can change the way our genetic code goes about its business,” said lead investigator Ivana Buric of Coventry University.

Activities such as yoga leave a “molecular signature” in our cells, which reverses the effect that stress or anxiety would have on the body by changing how our genes are expressed, Buric said.

”Put simply, MBIs cause the brain to steer our DNA processes along a path which improves our wellbeing,“ she said.

More research is needed to better understand the effects, Buric said.

"But this is an important foundation to build on to help future researchers explore the benefits of increasingly popular mind-body activities,” she said.

--

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.coventry.ac.uk/">Coventry University</a>

How yoga and meditation actually reverse ill health, depression

Meditation, yoga, and Tai Chi can reverse the molecular reactions...

China will attempt to grow potatoes, silkworms on moon. China plans to grow potatoes and hatch silkworms on the moon, the <a href="https://www.cqcb.com/hot/2017-06-12/351314_pc.html">Chongqing Morning Post</a> reported.

It will be part of the the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_National_Space_Administration">China National Space Administration</a>'s program to build a small ecosystem on Earth's natural satellite, the story said.

Scientists at <a href="http://study.cqu.edu.cn/IndexOfEnglish/Index">Chongqing University</a> in central <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/america-leads-science-china-gaining/">China</a> have developed a 7 inch, 6.6 lb container holding a mini-ecosystem to be ferried to the moon by the Chang'e 4 rocket next year.

“The container will send potatoes, Arabidopsis (cress) seeds and silkworm eggs to the surface of the moon,” chief designer Dr. Zhang Yuanxun said.

“The eggs will hatch into silkworms (moth larvae), which can produce carbon dioxide, while the potatoes and seeds emit oxygen through photosynthesis,” he said. “Together, they can establish a simple ecosystem on the moon.”

Scientists will then be able to observe the effect of the moon's low gravity (one sixth of Earth's) on the various organisms.

Officials say they will release results of the experiment to the public.

“We will livestream the development of plants and insects on lunar surface to the whole world,” Gengxin said.

--

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.cqcb.com/hot/2017-06-12/351314_pc.html">Chongqing Morning Post</a>

China will attempt to grow potatoes, silkworms on moon

China will attempt to grow potatoes, silkworms on moon. China...

Animals evolved earlier than previously believed and prior to the global Ice Age that hit the Earth about 700 million years ago, according to a new study.

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/125-million-dinosaur-fossil-found-spain/">Fossil</a> records show that almost all of the animal phyla known today had come into existence by the beginning of the Cambrian Period some 540 million years ago, according to the study by <a href="https://www.en.uni-muenchen.de/">Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München</a>.

The earliest known animal fossils exhibit complex morphologies, which implies that they must have originated long before the onset of the Cambrian, the study said.

The researchers used a dating method called the molecular clock to investigate the chronology of early animal evolution and produce a new estimate for the ages of the oldest animal groups. 

The molecular clock approach is based on the principle that mutations accumulate in the genomes of all organisms over the course of time. The extent of the genetic difference between two lineages should therefore depend on the time elapsed since they diverged from their last common ancestor.

“Our study is based on a combination of genetic data from contemporary animals and information derived from well dated fossils, which we analyzed with the help of complex computer algorithms," said Martin Dohrmann of Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitae.

Researchers used an unusually large dataset made up of the sequences of 128 proteins from 55 species, including representatives of all the major animal groups, focusing in particular on those that diverged very early.

The analysis confirms the conclusion reached in an earlier study, which dated the origin of animals to the Neoproterozoic Era, which lasted from 1000 to 540 million years ago. 

However, researchers were surprised that the results suggest that the earliest phyla, and the ancestors of all bilateral animal species, originated within the - geologically speaking - short time-span of 50 million years. 

"In addition, this early phase of evolutionary divergence appears to have preceded the extreme climate changes that led to Snowball Earth, a period marked by severe long-term global glaciation that lasted from about 720 to 635 million years ago," Dohrmann said.

--

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.en.uni-muenchen.de/">Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München</a>

Study: Animals evolved earlier than previously believed

Animals evolved earlier than previously believed and prior to the...

Researchers may have been rediscovered the 8th Wonder of the World, 131 years after it was buried by a volcanic eruption in New Zealand, the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/">Guardian</a> reported.

In the mid-1800s, the pink and white terraces of Lake Rotomahana in the North Island attracted tourists from around the globe, the story said. When Mount Arawera erupted in 1886, the dramatic cascading pools descending into the lake’s temperate waters were lost.

Two researchers think they have pinpointed the location where the terraces may lie, preserved 10 to 15 meters below the surface under layers of mud and ash. A full archaeological survey is needed to excavate the site, the researchers said.

“They [the terraces] became the greatest tourist attraction in the southern hemisphere and the British empire, and shiploads of tourists made the dangerous visit down from the UK, Europe and America to see them,” said researcher Rex Bunn. “But they were never surveyed by the government of the time, so there was no record of their latitude or longitude.”

Bunn and Dr Sascha Nolden believe the terraces were not destroyed or pushed to the bottom of the lake, as earlier research suggested. Instead, the 8th Wonder of the World was likely buried on the foreshore of the lake.

To determine the location, the researchers used the field diaries of geologist Ferdinand von Hochstetter, which contain a detailed description of the terraces prior to the 1886 eruption.

“Our research relied on the only survey ever made of that part of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/geothermal-motherlode-new-zealand/">New Zealand</a> and therefore we are confident the cartography is sound,” Bunn said. “Hochstetter was a very competent cartographer.”

Since the pair’s research paper was published this month in the <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tnzr20/current">Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand</a>, Bunn said he had received daily offers of help to conduct a survey and was in the process of assembling a “team of the willing” to begin exploring the site.

“We want to undertake this work in the public interest. And I have been closely liaising with the ancestral owners of the land, the Tuhourangi Tribal Authority, and they are supportive and delighted with the work,” he said.

--

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.theguardian.com/">Guardian</a>

Image Credit: Pink and White Terraces (1886) by Charles Blomfield

Photograph: Alamy

Has the 8th Wonder of the World been rediscovered?

Researchers may have been rediscovered the 8th Wonder of the...

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;



---



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...

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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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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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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