Genetic,Brain,Disorders,,Conceptual,3d,Illustration.,Mutations,In,The,Dna

When folks picture Neanderthals, the image often involves heavy brows, furry pelts, and stone tools. Yet pieces of their DNA are still part of the modern human genome. Recent research suggests that some of these genetic variants inherited from Neanderthals could be linked to autism spectrum disorder.



About 50,000-60,000 years ago, small groups of modern humans trekked out of Africa into Eurasia. They met Neanderthals, exchanged tools, and also exchanged genes <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dna-analysis-reveals-most-recent-modern-human-to-interbreed-with-neanderthals/">through interbreeding</a>. 



It has been estimated that Eurasian-derived populations have approximately <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adq3010" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2% Neanderthal DNA</a>, which was acquired during introgression events occurring shortly after anatomically modern humans migrated out of Africa.



Later, some descendants journeyed back to Africa, sprinkling a much thinner dusting of Neanderthal genes across the continent. 



That genetic shuffling means nearly everyone on Earth carries at least a trace of <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/the-neanderthal-in-us.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Neanderthal ancestry</a>, though the amount varies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-small-fragments-big-questions">Small fragments, big questions</h2>



Genetic leftovers can be helpful. Certain <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-06587-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Neanderthal alleles</a> boost immune responses or aid survival at high altitudes. 



Many others never meshed well with our biology and were slowly weeded out by natural selection. Brain-related genes are especially unforgiving; even minor glitches can prove disruptive. 



With the recent sequencing of multiple <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092867424001168" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">archaic human genomes</a>, there has been growing interest concerning the influence of archaic human-derived alleles on modern health.



Yet some Neanderthal variants slipped past that filter. They linger in regions tied to perception, memory, and social understanding, sparking curiosity about their subtle effects.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-autism-clues-in-neanderthal-dna">Autism clues in Neanderthal DNA</h2>



The study linking autism to Neanderthal DNA was led by researchers from <a href="https://www.clemson.edu/">Clemson University</a> and <a href="https://www.luc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Loyola University</a>.



The authors compared whole-genome data from autistic people, their unaffected siblings, and unrelated controls across diverse ethnic backgrounds. 



They saw that both rare and common Neanderthal-derived variants appeared more often in autistic participants. 



The pattern wasn’t about carrying more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-inject-40000-year-old-neanderthal-dna-gli3-gene-into-mice-with-incredible-results/">Neanderthal DNA</a> overall; it hinged on possessing particular snippets.



One striking theme involved genes that guide how distant brain regions talk to each other. 



Visual-processing circuits appeared to run hotter, while the so-called default mode network, linked to daydreaming and social reflection, ran cooler. 



Those connectivity signatures match traits many autistic individuals report - keen pattern recognition alongside social fatigue.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seeing-the-world-in-sharp-focus">Seeing the world in sharp focus</h2>



Functional MRI scans from the same project confirmed this pattern. People who carried a higher load of the identified <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/inner-ears-of-neanderthals-reveals-catastrophic-population-event-during-their-evolution/">Neanderthal variants</a> - whether autistic or not - showed stronger signaling in visual areas. 



Meanwhile, pathways that normally hum during casual conversation or idle thought stayed quieter. 



The result hints that these ancient genes might sculpt a cognitive profile tuned for intense observation and precise motor planning.



Archaeologists note a similar nuance in Neanderthal craftsmanship and stone tool making skills. 



Their <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levallois_technique" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Levallois technique</a> required stepwise planning, spatial reasoning, and sustained focus - skills that resonate with strengths many autistic thinkers display today.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-evolutionary-twist">An evolutionary twist</h2>



Why would such variants stick around? One idea points to the small, tight-knit bands <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-and-neanderthals-species-face-structure-evolved-differently/">Neanderthals</a> likely formed. In that setting, visual scouting for game, shelter, or stone resources could outweigh complex social juggling. 



When Homo sapiens groups interbred with them, those advantageous perceptual talents may have proved useful enough to persist.



The study does not argue that Neanderthal DNA “causes” autism. Instead, it suggests that a handful of inherited tweaks can raise the odds of certain traits emerging along a spectrum. 



Those traits might have offered benefits in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-theory-explains-why-neanderthals-vanished-and-homo-sapiens-are-alive-today/">ancestral environments</a> - and still do in fields that prize logic, detail, and pattern spotting.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-neanderthal-contributions-to-autism">Neanderthal contributions to autism</h2>



Researchers stress that genetics is only part of the autism puzzle. Environment, early development, and countless other genes interact in ways science is still charting. 



Even so, identifying concrete Neanderthal contributions helps explain why autism exists worldwide, independent of culture or upbringing. 



It also reframes <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/placenta-hormones-may-have-driven-human-brain-evolution/">neurodiversity</a> as a legacy of humanity’s mixed heritage rather than a modern anomaly.



Many families notice clusters of analytical talent - mathematicians, engineers, visual artists - scattered among autistic and non-autistic relatives alike. The new findings offer a biological thread connecting those shared gifts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-next">What happens next?</h2>



“We hope this research will lead to further investigation into the ongoing influences of ancient hybridization between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neanderthals-and-humans-had-multiple-waves-of-contact/">Homo sapiens and Neanderthals</a> in brain development, human intelligence, and overall human health, as well as spur work into additional clinical resources for this complex population,” the research team wrote.



Future projects will likely probe other neurodevelopmental conditions, explore how Neanderthal variants interact with modern lifestyles, and refine personalized supports. 



As we continue to discover, the story of human evolution didn't stop with one lineage replacing another. It wove their strengths together, leaving fingerprints that guide our thoughts, perceptions, and innovations in modern humans to this day.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-024-02593-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Molecular Psychiatry</a>.



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Scientists link autism to Neanderthal DNA found in modern humans

When folks picture Neanderthals, the image often involves heavy brows, furry pelts, and stone tools. Yet pieces of their DNA are still part of the modern human genome. Recent research suggests that some of these genetic variants inherited from Neanderthals could be linked to autism spectrum disorder. About 50,000-60,000 years ago, small groups of modern humans trekked out of Africa into Eurasia. They met Neanderthals, exchanged tools, and also exchanged genes through interbreeding. It has been estimated that Eurasian-derived populations have approximately 2% Neanderthal DNA, which was...

Bee populations around the world have been slipping for decades, even in areas with meadows. Across the United States, managed hives have dropped from about five million in the 1940s to 2.7 million in <a href="https://www.pollinator.org/threats" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2023</a>.



Pollination keeps the produce aisle stocked, and honey bees alone add roughly <a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/general-information/initiatives-and-highlighted-programs/peoples-garden/importance-pollinators/honey-bees" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">$15 billion</a> to the value of U.S. crops every year. 



Kathrin Czechofsky of the University of Göttingen says the latest <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.70074" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fieldwork</a> shows there is still room for optimism when farms and conservation <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-bee-day-2025-protecting-the-pollinators-that-feed-the-world/">habitats</a> are planned together.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bees-are-disappearing-despite-meadows">Bees are disappearing despite meadows</h2>



Habitat loss, pesticide exposure, and disease form a triple threat, yet land conversion remains the clearest driver of wild <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-dangers-threaten-the-survival-of-bees-and-pollinators/">bee</a> decline. 



Climate stress adds another layer, and recent work warns that many bumblebee broods fail when nest temperatures top 96 °F, a threshold that rising heat waves frequently exceed.



Fields blanketed in a single commodity crop create long floral dry spells that leave solitary bees hungry between brief bloom windows. 



Even well‑intended local actions, such as installing small flower strips, often struggle to reverse losses because bees forage across landscapes, not single fields.



Without a coordinated plan, conservation patches can cancel one another out or fail to meet nesting needs over an entire season.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-different-farm-types-were-tested">How different farm types were tested</h2>



To explore what really works, researchers at the <a href="https://www.uni-goettingen.de/">University of Göttingen</a> mapped 32 German farm landscapes roughly 0.6 mile across.



Each circular site combined different shares of organic cropland, annual flower strips, and <a href="https://xerces.org/sites/default/files/publications/23-028_01_Creating-Perennial-Habitat-Using-Plugs-FS_web.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">perennial habitat</a> dominated by long‑lived plants such as meadow knapweed.



Transects criss‑crossed wheat, clover, hedgerows, and the open lanes where <a href="https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/learn-about-bumblebees/species-guide/red-tailed-bumblebee/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bombus lapidarius</a> and dozens of lesser‑known species feed. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-overlapping-support-for-bees">Overlapping support for bees</h2>



Over three summer runs, the team recorded more than 4,500 individual bees, and then scaled those counts to the full landscape for a big‑picture view.



The design allowed the researchers to test whether habitats simply add, work together in a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/synergistic-effect" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">synergistic effect</a>, or cancel each other out.



The analysis leaned on the same statistical muscle used in crop‑yield forecasting, but here the harvest metric was buzz and diversity. 



Organic acreage, flower strips, and perennial pockets each lifted flower cover, yet the payoff for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-are-highly-concerned-that-so-many-bee-hives-have-disappeared/">bees</a> hinged on how those elements overlapped.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bees-thrive-when-farms-meet-meadows">Bees thrive when farms meet meadows</h2>



Organic fields, managed without synthetic pesticides, proved especially valuable when at least five percent of the surrounding land also held perennial <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bees-sleep-like-humans-with-similar-brain-patterns/">habitat</a>. 



Densities of non‑bumblebee wild species climbed steeply under that mix, evidence of a synergy between pesticide‑free forage and nearby nesting ground.



“This study offers important guidance for shaping future measures for agriculture and the environment. It highlights the value of coordinated, landscape‑scale planning,” noted Dr. Annika Haß, a lead scientist on <a href="https://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/646422.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the ComBee project</a>.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stable-meadow-edges-support-bees">Stable meadow edges support bees </h2>



Organic plots alone boosted bumblebee numbers too, yet the gains were additive rather than synergistic. 



Many common Bombus species nest flexibly in grass margins or old rodent burrows, so they profit from pesticide‑free blossoms even without extra meadows. 



For orchard managers in the United States pondering organic transitions, the message is clear: pesticide reduction helps, but pairing it with stable meadow edges helps even more.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-flower-strips-meadows-and-mixed-signals">Flower strips, meadows, and mixed signals</h2>



Annual flower fields, those bright strips tilled and reseeded every spring, sound perfect on paper but told a more tangled story in practice. 



When large flower strips were paired with broad organic acreage, overall bee numbers often plateaued rather than doubled because both habitats bloom at similar times. Redundancy in food, without added nesting sites, meant no bonus for pollinators.



Perennial meadows, by contrast, flower in staggered waves and offer bare or lightly vegetated soil where ground‑nesting bees dig. Their long-lived stems survive winter, protecting larvae and overwintering adults. 



That structural difference explains why meadows completed the resource puzzle alongside organic crops, while annual strips sometimes crowded it.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/honey-bees-spread-viruses-to-bumblebees-in-the-spring/">Bumblebees</a>, with their social colonies and bigger flight ranges, took advantage of annual strips only in simple landscapes that lacked meadows. For solitary bees with shorter foraging ranges, perennial patches again tipped the scale.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-benefits-of-diversified-landscapes">Benefits of diversified landscapes</h2>



The ComBee team calculated practical thresholds: organic farming starts to raise species richness when annual strips cover less than five acres inside a 500‑acre landscape. 



Synergy with perennial meadows kicks in once those meadows reach about 12 acres. These numbers translate neatly to many Midwestern farm sections or European parish blocks, giving planners concrete targets instead of guesswork.



Because budgets are limited, the authors argue for steering organic incentives toward places where annual flower strips are scarce, while investing separate funds to create long‑term meadows in regions already rich in organic acreage.



Such mixing of functionally different habitats promises the biggest biological return per dollar. Beyond bees, diversified landscapes cushion farms against drought, improve soil structure, and harbor predators that curb <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bats-assist-farmers-by-consuming-harmful-pests/">crop pests</a>.



Policies that reward cooperation among neighboring landowners, rather than isolated actions, could therefore yield multiple wins.



The study is published in the <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.70074" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Applied Ecology</a>.



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Organic farms and meadows can help save wild bees

Bee populations around the world have been slipping for decades,...

The smell of toast drifts from the kitchen. Across the room, you notice a hand reach for a butter knife. Without thinking, you already sense the next move. 



Your brain predicts that a slice of bread will meet a dab of butter, and it usually gets the call right. That quiet, automatic guesswork keeps everyday scenes feeling smooth rather than jumbled.



Behind this split-second foresight is a set of brain regions known to researchers as the "<a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/human-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2021.627983/full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">action observation network (AON)</a>," a collection that fires up whenever we watch another person reach, grasp, or tinker with an object. 



Decades of lab tests - often showing only one- to two-second video snippets - mapped out the basics of that network. 



Yet real life rarely serves actions in single bites. It offers full recipes, packed with intention and order. That difference set the stage for a revealing new study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-action-observation-network-in-the-brain">Action observation network in the brain</h2>



The project came from a team at the <a href="https://nin.nl/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience</a> led by Christian Keysers and Valeria Gazzola. 



Keysers puts it simply: “What we would do next becomes what our brain sees,” a reminder that prediction lies at the heart of perception. 



Earlier work suggested that information flows in one direction - visual regions pass details to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sitting-for-hours-daily-shrinks-your-brain-even-if-you-exercise/">parietal and premotor hubs</a>, which then plan a matching response. The new study asked whether that pipeline flips when a viewer can forecast the next step.



To probe the question, researchers created two versions of everyday scenes - say, building a sandwich or folding a shirt. 



In the natural cut, actions played out in their expected order; in the scrambled cut, the same clips were shuffled. Volunteers watched both while their brain activity was recorded. 



Because some participants were epilepsy patients already implanted with intracranial electrodes for medical monitoring, the team captured electrical signals deep <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-brain-pathways-identified-as-being-unique-to-humans/">inside the cortex</a> with millisecond precision.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-you-and-your-brain-see">What you and your brain see</h2>



When the action order made sense, the brain worked differently than textbook diagrams predicted. Feedback signals ran from higher-level motor regions down to the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/sensory-cortex" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sensory cortex</a>. 



That top-down push quieted visual areas, as if the brain decided it could lighten the workload because the next move was practically a foregone conclusion. 



In contrast, the jumbled cut forced the cortex to lean on incoming sight alone, reviving the classic feed-forward path from eye to hand.



The switch was clearest in the premotor cortex. This area, best known for preparing our own movements, pulsed first when scenes unfolded logically. Electrical rhythms then traveled backward toward regions that handle <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/blinking-plays-crucial-role-vision-human-perception/">touch and vision</a>. 



The result hints that motor memories - habits such as slicing a roll - prime the brain to handle what our eyes are about to see.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brain-uses-memory-to-see">Brain uses memory to 'see'</h2>



Valeria Gazzola puts the reversal in plain terms: “Now, information was actually flowing from the premotor regions, that know how we prepare breakfast ourselves, down to the parietal cortex, and suppressed activity in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/visual-cortex" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">visual cortex</a>.” 



She adds, “It is as if they stopped to see with their eyes, and started to see what they would have done themselves.” 



The quotes capture a striking idea: in familiar settings, action perception may depend more on stored know-how than raw sight.



That idea slots neatly into the larger framework of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-nose-is-a-clever-smell-prediction-system/">predictive coding</a>, a theory proposing that the brain constantly compares expectations to incoming data, then sends error signals when reality misses the mark. 



By showing the mechanism in natural sequences, the study strengthens the view that prediction is not a special feature reserved for high-stakes moments. It is a default mode woven into everyday social life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-efficiency-through-feedback-loops">Efficiency through feedback loops</h2>



Suppressing the visual cortex during a well-known routine might sound risky, yet it saves energy and speeds comprehension. 



If the brain trusts its guess, it trims redundant sensory checks, freeing resources for surprises - such as an unexpected ingredient swap. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/caffeine-at-night-disrupts-sleep-and-brain-activity-especially-in-young-adults/">Electroencephalography</a> and functional MRI data from the same study revealed lower metabolic demand when actions were predictable, backing the idea that foreknowledge cuts neural overhead.



These feedback loops also clarify how we keep track of other people in noisy or visually cluttered places. 



By leaning on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-does-the-human-brain-create-retrieve-memories-engram-cells-connections/">motor memories</a>, the brain can stitch together patchy views into a coherent scene, a skill vital for teamwork on a crowded street or communication across a dinner table.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-this-is-weird-why-does-it-matter">This is weird, why does it matter?</h2>



Understanding how the motor system shapes perception could help fine-tune rehabilitation after stroke. Therapies that train patients to anticipate movement sequences - rather than simply imitate single motions - might better rewire damaged circuits. 



The findings also inspire engineers working on assistive robots and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/augmented-reality-ar-glasses-bring-3d-holograms-closer-to-reality/">augmented-reality glasses</a>. Systems that predict human intent a fraction of a second early can choose safer paths, hand over tools at the right moment, or flag anomalies before accidents unfold.



Beyond medicine and machines, the work nudges us to appreciate the hidden labor our brains perform. Every time we pass the salt or catch a tossed set of keys, layers of neural forecasting keep the exchange seamless. 



By mapping that choreography with intracranial precision, the researchers have shown that much of what we ‘see’ comes from inside, projected forward by experience rather than painted on solely by the eye.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-studies-on-how-the-brain-sees">Future studies on how the brain sees</h2>



Future studies will test whether the same feedback pattern appears in more complex social exchanges - playing music together, learning a new sport, or reading facial expressions in fast-moving conversations. 



If motor-based prediction proves central across those domains, training programs that expand a person’s movement repertoire could sharpen perceptual skills as well.



For now, the take-home message is clear. When an action unfolds in a familiar rhythm, the brain lets memory call many of the shots. That shortcut keeps life running smoothly, one well-timed guess at a time.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(23)01444-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cell Reports</a>.



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Human minds see what we "expect" to see, not what we actually see

The smell of toast drifts from the kitchen. Across the...

Tsunami warning sirens on Vancouver Island have never sounded for real, yet scientists know the lull is temporary. A new study says artificial intelligence could sharpen the split‑second calls that decide whether visitors and locals can reach higher ground.



The work zeroes in on Tofino, a surfing town whose beaches and hotels fill with travelers year‑round. Researchers tested different warning strategies and found that machine learning might save more people than the rules emergency crews use today.



Earth‑science professor <a href="https://www.uwo.ca/earth/people/faculty/goda.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Katsuichiro Goda</a> at <a href="https://www.uwo.ca/sci/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Western University</a>, the <a href="https://www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca/chairholders-titulaires/profile-eng.aspx?profileId=4507" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Canada Research Chair in Multi‑Hazard Risk Assessment</a>, led the project. 



He and his team compared traditional statistical models with newer random forest algorithms and neural network tools, checking how long officials can wait before pressing the alert button.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-high-stakes-for-tofino">High stakes for tofino</h2>



Tofino sits a short drive from the <a href="https://www.pnsn.org/outreach/earthquakesources/csz" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cascadia Subduction Zone</a>, the 600‑mile fault where the <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/subduction-juan-de-fuca-plate-beneath-north-american-pla" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Juan de Fuca plate</a> dives under North America. 



A magnitude‑9 rupture on that boundary could send a 65‑foot wall of water ashore in roughly 20 minutes.



<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261304047_Japan_Trench_earthquake_and_tsunami_monitoring_network_of_cable-linked_150_ocean_bottom_observatories_and_its_impact_to_earth_disaster_science" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Japan’s S‑net network</a> packs 150 ocean‑bottom sensors along deep‑sea cables, yet Vancouver Island relies on only four nodes for real‑time data.<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261304047_Japan_Trench_earthquake_and_tsunami_monitoring_network_of_cable-linked_150_ocean_bottom_observatories_and_its_impact_to_earth_disaster_science?utm_source=chatgpt.com"> </a>



That imbalance matters because Tofino’s hotels, marinas, and boardwalk shops represent more than 2 billion Canadian dollars in at‑risk assets during a severe inundation.<a href="https://cheknews.ca/new-study-shows-ai-could-help-sharpen-tsunami-warnings-for-b-c-s-coast-1259866/?utm_source=chatgpt.com"> </a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-minutes-matter">Why minutes matter</h2>



Evacuation drills show that even fit hikers need up to 17 minutes to climb from the waterfront to designated hills. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/strong-geomagnetic-solar-storm-alert-issued-auroras-expected-farther-south/">Alerts</a> that come too late jam the single highway out of town, trapping beachgoers behind stalled traffic.



Canada lacks a local catalog of historic tsunamis, so the study fed the computer thousands of simulated waveforms instead of real past events. 



The team discovered that performance swings wildly when the training set omits certain rupture styles, an uncertainty coastal planners rarely see in public briefings.



Adding synthetic events from <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.16344" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bayesian “digital twin” models</a> could close that gap, a method now being tested for the Cascadia coast.<a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.16344?utm_source=chatgpt.com">&nbsp;</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-random-forests-vs-human-judgment">Random forests vs human judgment</h2>



“When waiting times are too short, performances of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mega-tsunamis-triggered-by-earthquakes-could-wipe-part-of-us-off-the-map/">tsunami</a> early warning models vary significantly in terms of success,” said Goda. 



His favorite tool, the random forest, stacks dozens of mini decision trees, each weighing different seismic variables before voting on the safest moment to send a text <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/noaa-issues-a-severe-solar-storm-alert-with-auroras-expected-across-most-of-us/">alert</a>.



In test runs the algorithm beat multiple‑linear regression by about 15 percent on successful evacuations, echoing results from international trials that link seafloor gauges with machine‑learning forecasts.<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0098300423001279?utm_source=chatgpt.com">&nbsp;</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tsunami-warning-sirens">Tsunami warning sirens</h2>



Japan’s 150‑station array beams pressure and seismic data along 3,600 miles of fiber‑optic cable, giving residents clearer information on wave height and arrival time.



Vancouver Island’s four‑sensor network, run by Ocean Networks Canada, limits early detection accuracy near tourist beaches like Cox Bay. 



Goda argues that even a modest expansion - one extra sensor for each 25 miles of coastline, would feed the hungry algorithms and shorten the interval between quake and alert.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tourist-economies-in-the-crosshairs">Tourist economies in the crosshairs</h2>



Peak season pushes Tofino’s population from 2,500 to nearly 20,000, magnifying the challenge of moving people uphill before a wave arrives. 



Business owners note that a single false alarm can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in canceled bookings, so accuracy and trust go hand in hand.



Locals say the success of any alert system depends on whether people trust it. That trust hinges on understanding how and why evacuation orders are made. 



Workshops and school programs that explain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/650-foot-mega-tsunami-sends-seismic-waves-around-world-dickson-fjord-swot-mission/">tsunami</a> dynamics and how warnings work have helped raise awareness in Tofino. 



These efforts build a culture of readiness, making it more likely that people will act quickly when seconds count.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-toward-smarter-evacuations">Toward smarter evacuations</h2>



“We need to start using more AI models to get better results, but they are more data‑hungry and only perform better with more data,” explained Goda. 



The Western study suggests a counter‑intuitive tactic: wait a handful of extra seconds before issuing an alert so that messages include firmer wave‑height estimates.



Past disasters show why precision matters: surveys after the 2011 <a href="https://www.worldvision.org/disaster-relief-news-stories/2011-japan-earthquake-and-tsunami-facts" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tohoku tsunami</a> found that repeated false alarms made some residents less likely to flee small waves later.<a href="https://www.worldvision.org/disaster-relief-news-stories/2011-japan-earthquake-and-tsunami-facts?utm_source=chatgpt.com"> </a>



Next fall Goda's group will join residents during Tofino’s annual drill to test an AI‑assisted alert generator in real time. If the prototype works, the same code could guard resorts from Bali to Havana, shrinking the casualty gap between well‑monitored and overlooked coastlines.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21664250.2025.2516324" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Coastal Engineering Journal</a>.



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New study proposes using AI to improve tsunami warnings in tourist areas

Tsunami warning sirens on Vancouver Island have never sounded for...

Since 2014, June 21 has been observed globally as World Giraffe Day. Chosen deliberately for its distinction as the longest day of the year, the date honors the world’s tallest land mammal. The symbolism is compelling, but the message is urgent. 



Giraffes are undergoing a rapid and largely unrecognized population decline. While often admired for their appearance, their ecological importance and conservation status remain overlooked by the global public.



The <a href="https://giraffeconservation.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Giraffe Conservation Foundation</a> emphasizes that celebrating giraffes must go hand-in-hand with acknowledging the threats they face. Current trends suggest that without widespread intervention, these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/giraffes-are-suffering-a-silent-extinction-and-need-more-protection/">animals</a> could disappear within our lifetime.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ecological-roles-of-giraffes">Ecological roles of giraffes </h2>



Giraffes may be quiet and unassuming, but they play a vital role in nature. They perform key ecological functions that support <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/its-world-giraffe-day-celebrate-the-worlds-tallest-animal-on-the-earths-longest-day/">biodiversity</a> in savanna ecosystems.



While feeding, giraffes naturally trim tree canopies, allowing more sunlight to reach the plants below. This promotes understory growth and enhances the structural diversity of the ecosystem.



As giraffes move across landscapes, they disperse seeds, contributing to forest regeneration.



Giraffes help many other animals by changing their surroundings. Birds, insects, and mammals all benefit. Yet, much like their silent presence, the decline of giraffes has largely gone unnoticed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-world-giraffe-day-a-quiet-decline">World Giraffe Day: A quiet decline</h2>



Over the past three decades, giraffe <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/giraffes-gained-their-long-necks-for-food-not-sex/">populations</a> have declined by nearly one third. They have been extirpated from at least seven African countries. Despite this, their situation has received minimal public attention. Conservationists have described this phenomenon as a “silent extinction,” noting the contrast between the giraffe’s visibility in tourism and media, and its invisibility in conservation policy.



In comparison to elephants and rhinos, which receive considerable international focus, giraffes rarely appear in global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/giraffes-hate-slopes-and-its-threatening-their-survival/">conservation</a> discourse. Their quiet presence may be contributing to their neglect. Yet, the threats they face are no less severe.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-drivers-of-population-loss">Drivers of population loss</h2>



Habitat fragmentation is a primary driver of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/giraffes-have-gut-bacteria-that-are-unaffected-by-their-diet/">population</a> decline. Human expansion through agriculture, infrastructure, and urban development has significantly reduced the land available to giraffes. 



Poaching also persists. Some giraffes are killed for meat; others for tails, which are used as charms or tools.



Climate change compounds these pressures. Droughts force giraffes to approach farmlands, leading to human-wildlife conflict. In these cases, crop protection often results in giraffe fatalities. 



The cumulative effect of these stressors is a gradual erosion of giraffe populations across the continent.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-emerging-scientific-urgency">Emerging scientific urgency</h2>



Recent genetic studies have shifted scientific understanding of giraffe taxonomy. What was once considered a single species with subspecies is now recognized as four distinct <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-reveals-four-unique-giraffe-species-across-africa/">species</a>. 



This taxonomic clarification carries conservation implications. Protection strategies must now be tailored to individual species, as threats and habitat needs vary. 



With improved clarity comes a renewed obligation to act swiftly. Several giraffe species are critically endangered, with populations below 2,000 individuals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-supporting-active-conservation-efforts">Supporting active conservation efforts</h2>



The Giraffe Conservation Foundation leads key interventions across Africa. One major strategy involves tracking giraffes using GPS collars to map their movement patterns and identify ecological corridors. These insights inform landscape-level protection strategies.



Translocation efforts have also proven successful. In areas where populations are especially vulnerable, small herds have been moved to protected zones with favorable conditions. 



Though resource-intensive, this approach has led to successful breeding and the birth of new calves, offering cautious optimism.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-public-action-on-world-giraffe-day">Public action on World Giraffe Day </h2>



Public involvement remains essential. While direct participation in fieldwork is not feasible for most individuals, awareness-raising remains powerful. 



Sharing verified information, supporting conservation organizations, and advocating for sustainable tourism all contribute to broader efforts.



Educators can also play a key role by integrating giraffe conservation into curricula. Artists, writers, and communicators can amplify messages that connect people emotionally and intellectually with the issue.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cultural-significance-of-giraffes">Cultural significance of giraffes</h2>



Beyond biology, giraffes hold symbolic importance in many African cultures. Their image appears in rock art, oral traditions, and modern storytelling. 



Often associated with grace, patience, and heightened vision, giraffes represent qualities that humans value deeply.



In this sense, their disappearance would constitute not only an ecological loss but also a cultural one. Preserving giraffes means preserving shared human heritage.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-than-a-celebration">More than a celebration </h2>



This observance offers more than celebration. It invites reflection. Why has the decline of such an iconic animal gone largely unnoticed? What assumptions have shaped our collective inaction? And more importantly, how do we shift from admiration to responsibility?



The extra daylight on June 21 becomes a metaphor for awareness. The question is whether we will use it wisely. We already have the tools and science is catching up. 



Protecting giraffes isn’t just about saving a species - it’s about preserving the wild itself. We can’t afford to wait. What stands tall today could disappear tomorrow.



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World Giraffe Day 2025 calls for urgent action to save giraffes

Since 2014, June 21 has been observed globally as World...

It started with a speck so small that a grain of sand could drown it in shadow. Yet that speck, now officially named ehrigite, may give geologists a fresh way to read Earth’s hidden pages.



The crystal is classified as a bismuth telluride and measures less than one‑tenth of a human hair across. Associate Professor <a href="https://researchers.adelaide.edu.au/profile/cristiana.ciobanu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cristiana Ciobanu</a> of the University of Adelaide documented the phase with mineralogist Professor <a href="https://researchers.adelaide.edu.au/profile/nigel.cook" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nigel Cook</a> after more than a decade of detective work.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-tiny-minerals-matter">Why tiny minerals matter</h2>



Only about 100 new mineral species gain formal approval in a typical year. The official catalogue now lists 6 145 validated entries, according to the International Mineralogical Association’s May 2025 <a href="https://cnmnc.units.it/files/editor/IMA_Master_List_%282025-05%29.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">master list</a>.



Each addition does more than swell a database. Novel species refine pressure-temperature limits, trace ancient hydrothermal fluids, and flag pockets of elements that feed renewable‑energy supply chains.



Mineral names usually honor a person, place, or chemistry, and the <a href="https://mineralogy-ima.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">International Mineralogical Association</a> (IMA) vetting process involves independent reviewers from at least a dozen countries. 



That rigor explains why acceptance can stretch for years but also why the final vote carries so much weight within the earth‑science community.



Tellurium occurs in Earth’s crust at roughly one part per billion. So any mineral that concentrates it (even microscopically) offers a geochemical signpost that can save exploration budgets millions of dollars.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-ehrigite-hides-in-plain-sight">How ehrigite hides in plain sight</h2>



Ehrigite shows up as sub‑100‑micron grains trapped in hedenbergite skarn from the Good Hope mine in British Columbia. Its formula, Bi₈Te₃, slots it into the tetradymite group, a family famous for semiconducting tellurides.



Because the grains are so fine, Ciobanu’s team relied on an <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-43634-z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">atomic‑resolution transmission microscope</a> able to see individual columns of atoms. Similar tools recently exposed hidden zirconium telluride sheets inside carbon nanotubes.



The group used aberration correction and ptychographic reconstruction, a method that stitches thousands of diffraction patterns into a single image with <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/11218780_Sub-Angstrom_Resolution_Using_Aberration_Corrected_Electron_Optics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sub‑ångström clarity</a>. 



That level of detail makes it possible to test theoretical bond models against direct observation instead of indirect diffraction peaks.



The Adelaide images revealed bismuth triplets alternating with tellurium layers, a pattern distinct enough that the International Mineralogical Association granted a new name. Full crystallographic details appear in American Mineralogist’s “<a href="https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/msa/ammin/article/110/5/826/653900/New-Mineral-Names" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New Mineral Names</a>” series, proposal 2023‑074.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bismuth-telluride-and-ehrigite">Bismuth telluride and ehrigite</h2>



Telluride minerals seldom occur in bulk, yet their chemistry underpins modern thermoelectric devices. Pure <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-43879-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bismuth telluride modules</a> have topped six percent conversion efficiency at 482 °F, turning waste heat into electricity.



A cousin like ehrigite could mark zones enriched in tellurium, a critical component of thin‑film solar panels and high‑capacity batteries. 



Because ehrigite holds more bismuth than classic Bi₂Te₃, researchers suspect unique electronic pathways that might shape next‑generation alloys.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ehrigite_new-mineral_microscopic_atomic-microscope_UAdelaide_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ehrigite_new-mineral_microscopic_atomic-microscope_UAdelaide_1s.webp" alt="Ehrigite as seen under the atomic-resolution transmission microscope. Credit: University of Adelaide" class="wp-image-1974714"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Ehrigite as seen under the atomic-resolution transmission microscope. Click image to enlarge. Credit: University of Adelaide</figcaption></figure>



Tellurium appears on the 2022 <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/news/national-news-release/us-geological-survey-releases-2022-list-critical-minerals" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S. Critical Minerals List</a> issued by the U.S. Geological Survey. Identifying natural stores ahead of demand curves therefore carries both strategic and economic value.



Every watt harvested from industrial heat trims fossil‑fuel demand. Mapping telluride‑bearing systems links blue‑sky mineralogy directly to green‑energy engineering.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-geometallurgy-connects-ore-and-plant">Geometallurgy connects ore and plant</h2>



The mineral also mirrors the career arc of its namesake. Geometallurgy blends petrography with metallurgy to forecast how ore behaves once it hits the mill, and case studies report processing‑cost cuts of up to 15 percent when such models guide scheduling.



At <a href="https://www.bhp.com/what-we-do/global-locations/australia/south-australia/south-australia-olympic-dam" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BHP’s Olympic Dam</a>, Ehrig’s models linked copper grade, alteration halos, and grinding energy to predict recovery long before ore reached the plant. 



Better prediction trims reagent use and tailings volumes, reducing both costs and environmental risk per pound of metal produced. Such gains turn intangible petrological data into daily operational savings.



The discipline’s strength lies in teamwork: field geologists, statisticians, and plant metallurgists feed data into shared models that update in real time as ore comes online.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-turning-microscale-clues-into-exploration-maps">Turning microscale clues into exploration maps</h2>



Ciobanu and Cook have secured an $894 000 Australian Research Council grant to weave computational mineralogy into sulphide exploration. 



By coupling atom‑scale images with machine‑learning clusters, they hope to forecast where skarn reactions lock bismuth and tellurium together.



Their prototype pipeline ingests chemical assays, textural scans, and thermodynamic phase diagrams, then outputs probability maps for high‑grade micro‑tellurides. 



Such data‑driven targeting can shave months off drill programs and lower the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-atoms-in-your-body-took-a-400000-light-year-journey-through-space/">carbon</a> footprint per discovery.



Tellurium’s scarcity matters because most supply comes as a by‑product of copper refining. Locating primary sources could shield supply chains from price spikes as demand grows for thermoelectrics and cadmium‑telluride photovoltaics.



The team will also test whether ehrigite can act as an early proxy for processing friendliness. If the mineral forms only under specific redox conditions, its presence may signal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-largest-iron-ore-deposits-reveal-a-1-3-billion-year-old-secret/">ore</a> blocks with lower energy grinding profiles, intelligence that plant managers crave years ahead of first production.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-wider-lens-on-mineral-discovery">A wider lens on mineral discovery</h2>



Ehrigite’s tale shows that minerals need not sparkle in hand specimen to change industry practice. 



Each pixel the microscope resolves sharpens our map of deep‑time processes, letting companies chase ore blocks that yield more metal with less energy.



The next wave of discoveries will likely surface from datasets larger than the grains themselves. High‑throughput spectroscopy, atom probe tomography, and cloud‑based phase matching can sift drill‑core chips for signals of unseen alloys.



Emerging techniques like <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41524-023-01142-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">autonomous TEM scanning</a> promise to spot unknown phases overnight, freeing scientists to interpret rather than hunt. Even a lone speck can tip the scales when the right eyes (and the right tools) are looking.



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New microscopic mineral discovered that could revolutionize geological exploration

It started with a speck so small that a grain...

Venus has long carried the nickname “Earth’s twin,” yet most people picture it as a static, oven‑hot wasteland with a geologically dead surface. 



A fresh look at radar and gravity records from NASA’s <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/magellan/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Magellan</a> orbiter now shows the planet is still shifting and rumbling in real time, rewriting that bleak image.



Study lead <a href="https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/solarsystem/p3g/bio/gael.cascioli" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gael Cascioli</a> of the <a href="https://umbc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Maryland</a> in Baltimore County and <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center</a> says his team’s work has provided a new and important insight into the possible subsurface processes currently shaping the surface of Venus.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-venus-the-basics">Understanding Venus - the basics</h2>



Venus, the second planet from the Sun, has evolved in a dramatically different direction than Earth. 



Its thick atmosphere is composed mainly of carbon dioxide, with clouds of sulfuric acid, creating a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-the-hellish-planet-venus-can-help-us-find-alien-life/">runaway greenhouse effect</a> that pushes surface temperatures to around 900 degrees Fahrenheit (475°C) - hot enough to melt lead. 



This oppressive heat makes Venus the hottest planet in our solar system, even hotter than Mercury, which is closer to the Sun.



The planet rotates very slowly and in the opposite direction of most other planets, including Earth. A day on Venus - measured from one sunrise to the next - lasts about 117 Earth days. 



Curiously, its rotation is so slow that a Venusian day is longer than its year, which lasts about 225 Earth days. 



Scientists believe that billions of years ago, Venus might have had liquid water and Earth-like conditions, but extreme volcanic activity and atmospheric changes turned it into the scorching, uninhabitable world we see today.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-venus-keeps-reshaping-its-surface">Venus keeps reshaping its surface</h2>



Out of 75 giant circular scars on the surface called <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-020-0606-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coronae</a>, 52 sit above hot, buoyant mantle plumes that continue to push and pull the crust today. That tally alone means tectonic motion on the second planet is the rule, not a rare exception.



Venus lacks moving tectonic plates like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mars-gravity-pulls-earth-closer-to-the-sun-warming-our-climate-scientists-say/">Earth</a>, yet its crust still buckles because the mantle’s heat has few ways to escape. The result is a landscape that rises, splays outward, and sinks in a perpetual slow‑motion churn.



Temperatures near 867 °F and a surface pressure ninety times that of Earth would seem to freeze rocks in place, but the same harsh <a href="https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/planet_table_british.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">conditions</a> help preserve the telltale deformations for scientists to study. 



Magellan’s radar, which peered through the cloud deck between 1990 and 1994, mapped 98 percent of that tortured terrain in detail.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coronae-offer-clues-to-hidden-forces">Coronae offer clues to hidden forces</h2>



A corona can span hundreds of miles, ringed by concentric fractures that betray the upward shove of rising magma blobs. <a href="https://annagulcher.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Anna Gülcher</a> of the <a href="https://www.unibe.ch/index_eng.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bern</a> calls them “very large features” whose variety shows “ongoing active processes driving their formation.”



Some show hints of subduction, where surface slabs sink back toward the mantle despite the absence of plate boundaries. 



Others display telltale trenches that form when dense surface material breaks loose and drips downward, a process geophysicists label lithospheric dripping.



Computer models that match Magellan’s gravity readings reveal warm, low‑density zones beneath the most active coronae. 



Those zones act like slow‑boiling pots, flexing the overlying crust and sometimes punching magma to the surface as fresh lava flows.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tectonic-tricks-on-venus-surface">Tectonic tricks on Venus' surface</h2>



Magellan data reanalyzed in 2023 showed a volcanic vent near eight‑mile‑high Maat Mons doubling in size within eight months, proof that eruptions are not ancient history. 



Further radar comparisons in 2024 uncovered young lava draping the plains around <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/pia00108-venus-3-d-perspective-view-of-sif-mons/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sif Mons</a> and <a href="https://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/venus_maps/2467_1/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Niobe Planitia</a>, suggesting eruptions there are even more widespread than first thought.



These eruptions differ from Earth’s ring‑of‑fire blasts. Without water to lubricate cracks, Venusian magma seeps and oozes, forming broad shields and flood lavas instead of explosive cones.



Cascioli’s catalog, however, shows that plume‑powered coronae may mimic proto‑plate behavior. They redistribute crust, recycle material, and could have shaped early Earth before modern plate tectonics took over.



“The <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/PSJ/ad991a" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VERITAS</a> gravity maps of Venus will boost the resolution by at least a factor of two to four,” notes <a href="https://science.jpl.nasa.gov/people/smrekar/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Suzanne Smrekar at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a>, she sees the upcoming VERITAS mission, set to launch in 2031, as the game changer that’s promising sharper insight into the processes now only glimpsed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-it-means-for-early-earth">What it means for early Earth</h2>



If plume‑driven coronae once dotted our young planet, they may have provided the first recycling engine for crust and atmosphere. Studying them on Venus offers a time capsule into that primordial era.



Active geology also keeps atmospheres fresh by venting gases. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/is-venus-alive-new-signs-of-volcanic-activity-emerge/">Venus</a> clearly retains enough internal heat to power frequent eruptions, so questions grow about how its once‑Earth‑like climate tipped into today’s hellish greenhouse.



A lingering mystery is whether hidden pockets of cooler terrain or highland plateaus shelter minerals that hint at lost oceans. Future radar and near‑infrared scans will probe for basalt alteration that water would leave behind.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-missions-ready-for-answers">Future missions ready for answers</h2>



VERITAS will orbit with a synthetic‑aperture radar six times sharper than Magellan’s and track the craft’s slight wobbles to map the planet’s gravity shell‑by‑shell. That data will locate fresh lava flows only yards thick and measure how the crust flexes in real time.



<a href="https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Envision/ESA_selects_revolutionary_Venus_mission_Envision" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Europe’s EnVision probe</a> will follow later in the decade, bouncing radio waves to pick out variations in surface roughness that betray young volcanic rock.



 Together, the pair should turn Venus from a blurry enigma into a laboratory for planetary change.



Earth’s twin is hot, crushing, and toxic, yet it refuses to sit still. Every new line of evidence points to a world that continues to stretch, bend, and breathe beneath its sulfurous clouds.



The study is published in <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40367154/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>.



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NASA discovers that Earth's twin planet, Venus, is not geologically dead

Venus has long carried the nickname “Earth’s twin,” yet most...

Earth leaks roughly 47 terawatts of heat into space, a trickle compared with the Sun’s input yet vital for plate tectonics, volcanoes, and the magnetic field. This outward flow is usually thought to rise slowly through mantle convection, like steam seeping through thick soup. 



A new study proposes that some of the heat takes express lanes known as mantle plume columns, a concept first drawn by <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/230042a0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">W. Jason Morgan</a> in 1971.



Now researchers report the first “ghost plume” with no evidence of surface volcanism, hiding beneath Oman’s eastern deserts. Lead author <a href="https://cpg.kfupm.edu.sa/bio/dr-simone-pilia/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Simone Pilia</a> of King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals analyzed thousands of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mega-tsunamis-triggered-by-earthquakes-could-wipe-part-of-us-off-the-map/">earthquake</a> signals and named the buried column the Dani plume after his son.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-oman-s-mantle-plume-rises-but-does-not-erupt">Oman’s mantle plume rises but does not erupt</h2>



Typical plumes reach the surface and build features like Hawaii or Yellowstone, but Oman shows no fresh lava fields. That absence makes the Dani plume a ghost: hot enough to soften rock, not hot enough to punch through a thick continental lid.



“The more we gathered evidence, the more we were convinced that it is a plume,” said Pilia. His team traced the column to a depth of at least 410 miles (660 kilometers), where seismic waves slowed in a neat cylinder about 125 miles (200 kilometers) wide.&nbsp;



Independent checks found the mantle transition zone warped downward at a depth of 255 miles (410 kilometers) and lifted again at 410 miles (660 kilometers), giving a classic thermal fingerprint of rising <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/solar-heat-and-earthquake-activity-is-there-a-connection/">material</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earthquake-waves-reveal-hidden-mantle-plume">Earthquake waves reveal hidden mantle plume</h2>



The hunt relied on <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0031920103001560?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">seismic tomography</a>, Earth’s version of a CT scan, which turns quake vibrations into 3‑D velocity maps. A temperature rise of about 200 °F (93 °C) can drop shear‑wave speeds by roughly three percent.



In Oman, shear speeds fell by that amount inside the column, implying an excess temperature of roughly 200–500 °F (93–260 °C). That is warm enough to soften peridotite yet still below the melting threshold under 130‑mile‑thick (209-kilometer-thick) <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earthquake-activity-will-increase-due-to-glacial-retreat/">lithosphere</a>.



Saskia Goes of <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Imperial College London</a>, who was not involved in the work, reviewed the data and called the detection “plausible,” noting that narrow columns are notoriously hard to image.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-oman-s-land-lifts-without-any-volcano">Oman’s land lifts without any volcano</h2>



Even without lava, surface clues do exist. Eastern Oman’s <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/356429226_The_Salma_Plateau_-post-mid-Eocene_to_Quaternary_uplift_and_karstification_eastern_Oman_Geological_Society_of_Oman_Field_Trip_A_Geological_Society_of_Oman_GSO_fieldtrip_November_12th_2021" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Salma Plateau</a> is puzzlingly high, topping 6,500 feet (1,980 meters), despite little crustal shortening.



GPS and shoreline studies show the coast is still inching upward at under 0.04 inches (0.1 centimeters) per year. Dynamic support from hot, buoyant mantle at depth offers the simplest explanation for this.



Similar uplift blankets the <a href="https://cmes.utah.edu/news/deeperyellowstonemagma.php" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Yellowstone</a> area, where the well‑known plume feeds long‑lived volcanic and hydrothermal activity in the American West. Oman’s quieter rise suggests plumes can lift crust even when they stay bottled deep below solid rock.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-plume-may-have-shifted-india-s-path">Hidden plume may have shifted India’s path</h2>



Geological reconstructions hint that the Dani plume slid under the Indian Plate about 40 million years ago, coinciding with a subtle eastward bend in India’s path. Pilia’s group argues that viscous drag from the plume’s flow nudged the plate like a hidden hand.



Torque calculations in the study show that a conduit around 125 miles (201 kilometers) wide, moving a few cubic miles of hot rock per year, could supply the needed force. No other nearby tectonic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-dangerous-part-of-this-west-coast-earthquake-fault-cascadia-subduction-zone/">event</a> explains the timing as neatly.



If a single, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0040195120300020" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">amagmatic</a> plume can steer continents, multiple hidden plumes may have quietly shaped plate motions through Earth’s past.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-hidden-plumes-matter">Why hidden plumes matter</h2>



The Dani plume also carries implications for Earth’s heat budget. If many columns like it bypass slow mantle convection, more heat than expected streams straight from the core, potentially shortening estimates of how long the inner dynamo can continue to run.



Future arrays of ocean‑bottom seismometers and satellite gravity missions could uncover other silent plumes under thick cratons or old ocean basins, refining models that tie deep‑Earth processes to surface hazards and resource formation.



The new findings suggest the Dani plume may trace its roots to the same deep reservoir as the Afar plume, which is located beneath the Horn of Africa. 



Seismic imaging from the DETOX‑P3 global tomography model reveals that both plumes could be branches of a broader low‑velocity structure at the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/core-mantle-boundary" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">core‑mantle boundary</a>, which stretches thousands of miles across the lower mantle.



This tree‑like formation supports growing theories that mantle plumes may not rise as isolated columns but as parts of interconnected <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/ngeo1348" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">superplume networks</a>. 



If so, hotspots like Afar, Yellowstone, and now Oman might share common origins, linking surface activity across continents to single, deep‑Earth sources.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-tools-reveal-hidden-mantle-plumes">New tools reveal hidden mantle plumes</h2>



Traditional methods for detecting mantle plumes rely heavily on surface volcanism, which may overlook features hidden under thick continental crust. 



The Dani plume shows that relying on lava flows and volcanic rocks alone can miss major drivers of Earth’s internal dynamics.



Instead, combining seismic tomography, plate motion analysis, and topographic signals opens new paths for identifying ghost plumes. 



This interdisciplinary approach could help researchers locate more hidden structures in places that were once thought plume-free, thus reshaping how we map the heat flow from Earth's core to its surface.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012821X25002663?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth and Planetary Science Letters</a>.



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Earth has a 'ghost plume' rising from deep within the planet's mantle up to the surface

Earth leaks roughly 47 terawatts of heat into space, a...

A single fossil of a giant Appalachian salamander has been discovered by scientists at East Tennessee State University. 



Millions of years ago, this 16-inch salamander with a powerful bite threaded its way through the soft earth of what is now northeastern Tennessee.



The salamander tunnels criss-crossed ancient forests, and its appetite likely shaped the mix of smaller <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saving-amphibians-wildlife-tunnels-prevent-road-deaths/">amphibians</a> in the surrounding ecosystems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fossil-may-explain-salamander-diversity">Fossil may explain salamander diversity </h2>



Today, the fossil of this new species may help explain how the region's salamanders became so diverse. The specimen surfaced at the Gray Fossil Site &amp; Museum, a dig next door to <a href="https://www.etsu.edu/ehome/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">East Tennessee State University</a> (ETSU).



After careful study, researchers described the animal - Dynamognathus robertsoni - in a publication in the journal Historical Biology.



The work comes from a team that includes assistant collections manager Davis Gunnin, professor of geosciences Dr. Blaine Schubert, head curator Dr. Joshua Samuels, museum specialist Keila Bredehoeft, and assistant collections manager Shay Maden.



“Our researchers are not only uncovering ancient life, they are modeling the kind of collaboration and curiosity that define ETSU,” said Dr. Joe Bidwell, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. 



“This exciting find underscores the vital role our university plays in preserving and exploring Appalachia’s deep natural history.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-species-named-for-its-powerful-jaw">Species named for its powerful jaw</h2>



Dynamognathus robertsoni ranks among the largest of the lungless salamanders from the family Plethodontidae. It exchanged gases through its skin and the lining of its mouth, rather than by means of lungs. 



The jaw anatomy of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/salamanders-can-adapt-better-to-climate-change-than-previously-thought/">ancient salamander</a> suggests a striking bite force, which would have made it a formidable predator.



“This group of salamanders has unusual cranial anatomy that gives them a strong bite force, so the genus name, Dynamognathus – Greek for ‘powerful jaw,’ is given to highlight the great size and power of the salamander compared to its living relatives,” explained Maden.



The species name honors Wayne Robertson, a longtime volunteer who spotted the first bone and has sifted through more than 50 tons of sediment since 2000.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-appalachia-s-surprising-salamander-legacy">Appalachia’s surprising salamander legacy</h2>



Today, the Southern Appalachian forests host more than 50 salamander species - about one-eighth of all known salamanders on Earth. 



Many of them are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/plethodontidae" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plethodonts</a> like the new fossil species. Scientists have long wondered how so many species could have arisen in this small corner of the world.



“Finding something that looks like a Red Hills salamander here in East Tennessee was a bit of a surprise,” Gunnin said. 



“Today they’re only found in a few counties in southern Alabama, and researchers thought of them as a highly specialized dead-end lineage, not particularly relevant to the evolution of the dusky salamanders."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolution-of-salamander-communities">Evolution of salamander communities </h2>



The discovery of Dynamognathus robertsoni in Southern Appalachia indicates that this type of relatively large, burrowing salamander was once more widespread in eastern North America, explained Gunnin.



He noted that this may have had a profound impact on the evolution of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/three-new-black-bellied-salamanders-were-hidden-in-plain-sight/">Appalachian</a> salamander communities.



Modern dusky salamanders max out at about seven inches (18 centimeters) - less than half the length of the fossil giant. The research team suspects that predators like D. robertsoni drove smaller stream-dwellers to diversify rapidly, setting the stage for today’s variety.



“The warmer climate in Tennessee 5 million years ago, followed by cooling during the Pleistocene <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/disastrous-climate-changes-of-the-last-ice-age-could-happen-again/">Ice Ages</a>, may have restricted large, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/red-backed-salamanders-will-struggle-to-adapt-to-climate-warming/">burrowing salamanders</a> to lower latitudes, like southern Alabama, where the Red Hills salamander lives today,” said Samuels.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-significance-of-the-salamander-fossil">Significance of the salamander fossil</h2>



“The latest salamander publication is a testament to this teamwork and search for answers,” said Schubert. 



“When Davis Gunnin, the lead author, began volunteering at the museum as a teenager with an interest in fossil salamanders, I was thrilled because this region is known for its salamander diversity today, and we know so little about their fossil record."



From high-school volunteers to seasoned faculty, the Gray Fossil Site team keeps uncovering stories buried beneath Appalachian soil.



The stories explain why a walk through a modern Tennessee stream still reveals more salamander shapes and colors than almost anywhere else on Earth.



This shared effort blends curiosity, dedication, and local pride in a way that brings science to life. With each new find, the team adds another piece to the puzzle of Appalachia’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/triassic-fossils-shed-new-light-on-ancient-ecosystems/">ancient ecosystems</a>.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08912963.2025.2501332" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Historical Biology</a>.



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Giant salamander fossil reveals deep roots of Appalachian diversity

A single fossil of a giant Appalachian salamander has been...

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic dream. It’s already shaping how people learn, work, communicate, and make decisions. 



From virtual assistants and advertising to grading exams and diagnosing diseases, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/evolutionary-ai-can-balance-climate-goals-and-economic-progress/">artifical intelligence</a> is everywhere. With each breakthrough, the future of the workplace evolves in ways many people never imagined.



As AI takes on more complex roles, many jobs that humans do today may disappear. This reality creates both a challenge and an opportunity. Governments and schools now face the question: How can they prepare people for a future dominated by AI?



New research from the University of Georgia (<a href="https://www.uga.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UGA</a>) offers answers. It explores how 50 countries are dealing with this shift, especially in education and workforce development. 



The study's findings show a wide range of strategies and priorities, offering a glimpse into what the future of work might look like worldwide.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-will-replace-jobs-and-create-jobs">AI will replace jobs and create jobs</h2>



The fear that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-the-human-brain-thinks-differently-than-ai/">machines</a> will replace humans has existed for centuries. But this time, it's not just physical labor at risk. White-collar and creative roles are also under pressure. 



Previous research estimates that nearly half of today’s jobs could disappear within the next 20 years.



Still, this change is not entirely negative. Researchers also believe that 65% of today’s elementary school students will work in careers that don’t yet exist. 



Most of these new roles will require deep knowledge of AI tools, systems, and logic. That means the real risk lies not in losing jobs but in failing to prepare for the jobs of the future.



The human element remains essential. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-is-transforming-pollen-science-and-health-planning/">Machines</a> may learn patterns, but they lack emotional intelligence and intuition. These traits will continue to set people apart.



"Human soft skills, such as creativity, collaboration and communication cannot be replaced by AI," noted Lehong Shi from the College of Education.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-countries-are-planning-for-ai-jobs">How countries are planning for AI jobs</h2>



The UGA study, led by Lehong Shi, reviewed national <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/if-ai-has-free-will-whos-responsible-when-things-go-wrong/">artificial intelligence</a> strategies from 50 countries. It looked closely at how each nation planned to educate its citizens and train workers in AI-related areas. 



Shi examined six indicators to rank these efforts: the strategy’s goals, methods of implementation, examples of projects, success metrics, support structures, and timelines.



Based on this analysis, countries were grouped into three categories: high, medium, or low priority for developing an AI-ready workforce. Only 13 countries earned a high-priority status. Eleven of them were European, with Mexico and Australia rounding out the group.



This shows that some nations are already thinking long-term. According to Shi, European countries often benefit from strong educational systems and cultures that support lifelong learning. These factors make it easier for them to act quickly and plan deeply.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-the-united-states-stands">Where the United States stands</h2>



The U.S. did not make the high-priority list. It was among 23 countries that placed medium importance on preparing for AI. This means its national AI strategy lacks the same level of detail found in more committed countries.



That doesn’t mean nothing is happening. American universities are building AI labs, and companies are offering training. But without a coordinated national effort, the U.S. risks falling behind. 



Nations that make bigger investments now may have a stronger and more flexible workforce in the future.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-expanding-ai-programs-for-students">Expanding AI programs for students</h2>



Despite their differences, countries often shared certain priorities. Nearly every nation aimed to expand AI programs in universities. Many also wanted to include AI in primary and secondary education, preparing students from an early age.



More than half of the countries focused on using AI for on-the-job training. These efforts ranged from formal internships to custom programs for industries like healthcare, finance, or manufacturing. 



While these steps are helpful, the study found a lack of focus on vulnerable groups. Older adults, unemployed people, and those with limited education were often left out of national strategies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-national-priorities-for-the-use-of-ai">National priorities for the use of AI</h2>



Some countries focused their efforts in other directions. For instance, several Asian countries prioritized AI for defense and healthcare instead of education. Shi emphasized that these choices reflect national priorities and don’t mean AI is being ignored.



A few countries stood out for their unique approaches. Germany, for example, chose to build a culture around AI awareness. The goal is to promote long-term interest in AI, rather than just offering training. 



Spain took a different but equally impressive route. It started teaching AI-related skills to children in preschool. These examples show that preparing for AI does not begin in adulthood. 



Building curiosity and confidence from an early age helps children adapt easily to future careers. It also reduces fear and builds resilience in the face of rapid change.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-many-countries-lack-a-key-strategy">Many countries lack a key strategy</h2>



Yet, even among countries with strong strategies to prepare for the age of AI, one key area was often ignored. 



"Human soft skills, such as creativity, collaboration and communication cannot be replaced by AI," Shi said. "And they were only mentioned by a few countries."



This is a critical oversight. Machines can analyze data and solve technical problems, but they can’t brainstorm like humans. 



Soft skills support teamwork, leadership, and customer service. Without them, even the most technically skilled worker may struggle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-toward-an-ai-ready-future">Looking toward an AI-ready future</h2>



The study has a clear conclusion. Some countries are charging ahead with AI workforce plans. Others are still testing the waters. A few focus mostly on education and training. Others lean into AI <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neuromorphic-computing-where-ai-meets-human-brain/">technology</a> for healthcare, security, or economics.



The routes vary, but the finish line looks the same. To keep up, people need real skills - not just tech know-how, but the ability to think clearly, lead with confidence, and connect with others. 



Some countries begin this work early, ohers drag their feet, and a few cast a wide net. Too many still leave entire groups behind.



What happens next isn’t about machines. It’s about the decisions we make now. The countries that keep learning, stay flexible, and bring everyone along will handle the AI wave better than the rest.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/15344843251332360" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Human Resource Development Review</a>.



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AI is disrupting jobs, but countries are learning to adapt

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic dream. It’s...

Watching babies babble, play, or interact with others may offer surprising insights into how their thinking skills will develop and function decades later.



That’s the central finding of a study showing that even at 7 months old, some of a baby's cognitive behaviors can hint at their thinking skills as 30-year-old adults. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-infancy-shapes-thinking-skills-for-life">Infancy shapes thinking skills for life</h2>



Scientists at the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado Boulder</a> studied more than 1,000 twins over the span of 30 years. Their research shows that early-life assessments of cognitive function can help predict performance on cognitive tests at age 30. 



The findings also suggest that an infant’s environment plays a more important role in shaping life-long thinking ability than previously believed. According to the researchers, it could even affect a person’s risk of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/risk-of-dementia-is-much-higher-than-previously-thought/">dementia</a> later in life.



“Our findings highlight the enduring consequences of the very early childhood environment on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lifestyle-choices-in-young-adulthood-impact-cognitive-ability-in-midlife/">cognitive ability</a> and suggest that early life is a critical developmental period that we should be paying attention to,” said Daniel Gustavson, assistant research professor at the Institute for Behavioral Genetics (IBG).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-few-studies-of-infant-thinking-skills">Few studies of infant thinking skills</h2>



General cognitive ability, or GCA, is a broad measure of a person’s ability to learn, reason, understand, and solve problems. It’s similar to the more familiar term <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stress-hormones-during-pregnancy-may-affect-child-iq/">IQ</a>, though GCA is a composite of several cognitive factors.



Previous research has shown that a large portion of GCA is already set during childhood. For instance, if you test an 8-year-old’s cognitive skills, the result will likely resemble their score at age 30. 



In fact, intelligence scores at age 20 are highly correlated with scores at age 62. IQ doesn’t change much between ages 11 and 90.



But until now, very few studies have explored whether signals from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/caregiver-speech-shapes-infant-language-development/">infancy</a> - long before school starts - can tell us anything meaningful about future thinking ability.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-assessments-of-thinking-skills-began-early">Assessments of thinking skills began early</h2>



To answer this question, Gustavson and senior author Chandra Reynolds analyzed data from 1,098 individuals enrolled in the Colorado Longitudinal Twin Study. 



The IBG began the project in 1985 by enrolling baby twins from Colorado’s Front Range to study how genetic and environmental factors influence development over time.



Since then, researchers have collected large amounts of data through lab samples, home visits, interviews, surveys, and behavioral testing.



“We have co-authors on this paper who have been involved since the start and watched these twins grow up,” said Gustavson.



At 7 months old, each infant completed assessments of seven cognitive skills. These included vocalization, task persistence, and what researchers called “novelty preference” - whether the baby chose a new toy over a familiar one.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-twin-studies-continue-for-decades">Twin studies continue for decades</h2>



So far, participants have completed cognitive testing at five different ages throughout their lives.



The study found that early thinking skills could explain about 13% of the variation in cognitive performance at age 30. Two infant traits, namely task orientation and novelty preference, were especially strong predictors. Though modest, the researchers found this link notable.



“We certainly do not want to imply that cognition is somehow fixed by seven months old,” Gustavson said. “But the idea that a very simple test in infancy can help predict the results of a very complicated cognitive test taken 30 years later is exciting.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-thinking-skills-affected-by-nature-and-nurture">Thinking skills affected by nature and nurture</h2>



To understand the extent to which <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lifespan-is-influenced-more-by-lifestyle-than-genetics/">genetics</a> (nature) and environment (nurture) each contribute to cognition, the researchers looked at differences in GCA scores between identical twins, who share all of their genes, and fraternal twins, who share about half. 



When identical twins show more similar outcomes than fraternal twins, this points to a stronger genetic influence. The team also examined DNA samples collected from blood or saliva.



As expected, genetics played a significant role. By age 7, inherited traits accounted for roughly half of the variation in cognitive scores measured at age 30. Still, environmental factors in early life also left a meaningful and lasting mark.



"One of the most exciting findings was that 10% of the variability in adult cognitive ability was explained by environmental influences before year one or two,” elaborated Gustavson. “This suggests that even the pre-preschool environment matters," he added.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-baby-years-matter-for-cognitive-ability">Baby years matter for cognitive ability</h2>



Chandra Reynolds, a co-author of the research paper who studies dementia risk, sees a bigger picture.



“Cognitive aging is a life-long process, not just something that begins in mid-life,” said Reynolds. 



“It could be that certain interventions, like strong educational foundations in early life could help maximize what people are capable of and help them keep that cognitive gas in the tank for as long as possible.”



Good childcare, stimulating play, and stable living conditions might help preserve brain power into old age.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-many-genes-impact-thinking-skills">Many genes impact thinking skills</h2>



The study also showed that polygenic scores are a valuable tool for estimating cognitive ability.



These scores combine the effects of many individual genetic variants into a single number, offering an estimate of a person’s genetic likelihood for a trait - such as intelligence.



“There are thousands of genes that influence intelligence, so you are never going to find an ‘intelligence gene,' but we have found many with tiny effects that, when put together, can have an impact,” Gustavson said.



“Studies like ours show us that both family-based and genomic-based datasets are valuable in answering questions about how genetic and environmental influences change across the lifespan"



Together, these findings reinforce the idea that what happens in babyhood doesn’t just fade - it shapes thinking for a lifetime.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2426531122">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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Adult thinking skills may be forged during our early infancy

Watching babies babble, play, or interact with others may offer...

The pandemic didn’t just bring masks and lockdowns. It brought science into living rooms. One term stood out - mRNA vaccines. These shots rolled out fast and saved lives. But the excitement faded when vaccine-driven immune protection wore off too soon.



A few months after the jab, people lined up again for boosters. The world wanted immunity that stuck around. Scientists started asking: Can we make mRNA <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/covid-vaccine-strategy-paid-off-and-its-still-saving-lives/">vaccines</a> last longer without piling on more doses?



Turns out, maybe we can. A group of researchers may have figured out how.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-vaccine-looks-like-a-virus">The vaccine looks like a virus</h2>



Researchers from the University of Copenhagen and biotech firm AdaptVac gave the mRNA <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/heart-failure-patients-may-live-longer-with-covid-19-vaccination/">vaccine</a> a new outfit. They disguised it as a virus.



“Our study combines two technologies: mRNA vaccines and what we call virus-like particles," said lead author Cyrielle Fougeroux, senior scientist at AdaptVac. 



"By engineering the mRNA vaccine to produce virus-like particles, we trick the immune system into thinking it’s encountering a real virus."



"This triggers a much stronger and more durable immune response in mice, which is exactly what we want."



So what does this actually mean? They added a second piece of genetic code. One part builds the usual spike protein. 



The new part builds a virus-like shell. Together, these parts form something that looks like a threat. The immune system doesn’t hesitate - it charges in.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-less-vaccine-stronger-immune-response">Less vaccine, stronger immune response</h2>



The body reacts stronger and remembers longer. That’s the goal. The mice in the study showed exactly that. Fewer doses still created a lasting response.



Less vaccine, more immunity. That changes everything - fewer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/powerful-ai-algorithm-can-predict-a-persons-attitude-towards-vaccines/">jabs</a>, fewer side effects, less strain on healthcare.



Adam Sander, the study's senior author, is a professor at the University of Copenhagen and scientific director at AdaptVac.



“We believe this discovery represents a significant improvement to current mRNA technology and could play a major role in the development of next-generation vaccines,” said Sander.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preparing-for-future-outbreaks">Preparing for future outbreaks</h2>



Pandemics don’t wait and scientists know this. They’re already racing to beat the next one. Nipah virus, for example, could be a serious threat. It spreads from animals, kills fast, and has no approved vaccine.



At the University of Copenhagen, Sander’s team is using the same technology to build a Nipah vaccine. Human trials could begin in a few years. Timing matters and so does durability.



“mRNA technology is a powerful <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/covid-19-vaccine-misconceptions-are-spreading-rapidly/">tool</a> against a wide range of diseases, but its short-lived effect in humans is a major challenge," Sander said.



"If we can use virus-like particles to achieve a stronger and potentially longer-lasting immune response, we’ve made a meaningful improvement to the technology - one that could have a major impact during a pandemic.” 



That stronger punch means one thing: a vaccine that builds stronger and longer immune protection.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-mrna-needed-a-boost">Why mRNA needed a boost</h2>



Before 2020, vaccines came slowly. Grow virus, kill it, inject it. When COVID-19 hit, mRNA changed the game. Instead of injecting bits of virus, scientists sent instructions. The body did the building. Fast, flexible, and safer.



But that clever design had a weak spot. The body often forgot. That’s why boosters came so soon.



Here’s where the new method shines. It still uses mRNA, but the added code makes the body build a virus-like shell too. It’s fake, but it looks real. The immune system thinks it’s under attack. And that, surprisingly, makes all the difference.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-immune-boosting-vaccine-on-the-horizon">Immune-boosting vaccine on the horizon</h2>



However, the results so far only come from experiments on mice. That means it’s too early to say whether the same strong immune response will happen in humans. 



Still, the concept is bold and promising. The immune system often needs a strong trigger to react fully. By creating virus-like particles, the vaccine may give the immune system a reason to take notice and respond more powerfully.



If this method works in humans, it could lead to vaccines that not only act fast but also keep the immune system protected for much longer. That could make future vaccines more effective and reduce the need for frequent booster shots.



The study is published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology. It’s a team effort between the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Copenhagen</a> and <a href="https://www.adaptvac.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AdaptVac</a>. Both groups share ownership of the results.



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Scientists trick immune system into stronger vaccine response

The pandemic didn’t just bring masks and lockdowns. It brought...

As climate change continues to reshape the environment, new research reveals that global food systems face serious long-term risks, with global crop yields likely to shrink even if farmers adapt. 



The findings suggest that every additional degree of warming could significantly reduce how much food the world can produce.



A new study estimates that for every 1°C increase in global temperatures, the average person’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/futuristic-food-supply-transforming-co2-into-protein/">food supply</a> could drop by 120 calories per day - roughly 4.4% of daily consumption.



“If the climate warms by three degrees, that’s basically like everyone on the planet giving up breakfast,” said co-author Solomon Hsiang, a professor of environmental social sciences at the <a href="https://sustainability.stanford.edu/">Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability</a>.



With more than 800 million people already suffering from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/food-insecurity-can-lead-to-heart-problems-later-in-life/">food insecurity</a>. The prospect of widespread food declines due to climate change is raising alarms among policymakers and humanitarian agencies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-corn-belt-in-jeopardy"><a></a>The Corn Belt in jeopardy</h2>



The study points to the United States - particularly the Midwest - as one of the regions that could be hardest hit.



Andrew Hultgren is one of the lead authors of the study and an assistant professor at the <a href="https://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign</a>. 



“Places in the Midwest that are really well-suited for present-day corn and soybean production just get hammered under a high warming future,” he said. "You do start to wonder if the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-the-u-s-corn-belt-influences-its-own-weather/">Corn Belt</a> is going to be the Corn Belt in the future.”



“This is basically like sending our agricultural profits overseas. We will be sending benefits to producers in Canada, Russia, China. Those are the winners, and we in the U.S. are the losers,” Hsiang added. “The longer we wait to reduce emissions, the more money we lose.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-farming-fixes-only-go-so-far">Farming fixes only go so far</h2>



One of the study’s innovations is its realistic approach to adaptation. Rather than assuming farmers will either do nothing or respond perfectly to changes, the research team analyzed actual behavior in 12,000 regions across 55 countries.



They looked at yields and costs for six major staple crops: <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-bread-wheat-gave-rise-to-civilization/">wheat</a>, corn, rice, soybeans, barley, and cassava.



In many areas, farmers already adjust practices - like planting dates, crop varieties, or fertilizer use - to cope with climate change. These changes help, but only to a point. “Any level of warming, even when accounting for adaptation, results in global output losses from agriculture,” Hultgren said.



The impacts are likely to be most severe for the world’s agricultural powerhouses and its poorest communities. Yield losses from staple crops could average 41% in the wealthiest regions and 28% in the lowest-income areas by the end of the century.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-change-picks-food-winners">Climate change picks food winners</h2>



One key finding is that climate change impacts crops differently. The study predicts a 50% chance that rice yields will rise, largely because rice benefits from warmer nights. However, the odds of decline by 2100 range from 70% to 90% for other major staples.



With the Earth already 1.5°C warmer than pre-industrial levels, the effects of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-roots-could-be-key-to-fighting-climate-change/">climate change</a> are no longer theoretical. Farmers are reporting erratic weather, longer droughts, and extreme heat, even in regions where modern inputs are readily available.



The models suggest that by 2100, global yields could fall 11% even if emissions drop to net zero, and by 24% if emissions continue to climb. The outlook for 2050 is not much better, with an estimated 8% reduction in yields regardless of emissions changes.



“If we ignore those long-run damages, we assign an economic value of zero to them, and that is clearly wrong,” Hultgren said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-farming-needs-support">Future farming needs support</h2>



Hsiang and Hultgren are now turning their focus to helping governments prepare. They’re working with the <a href="https://www.undp.org/">United Nations Development Program</a> to share the findings and identify communities most at risk.



“We’re focusing on how to make it so that this is not actually what our future looks like, even if we can’t get our act together on the emissions side,” Hsiang said.



Helping farmers adapt won’t be easy. In many regions, they lack access to basics like quality fertilizer or accurate weather forecasts. The team is developing tools to prioritize funding and resources where they can make the biggest impact.



For Hsiang, the message is clear: climate change is eroding one of agriculture’s most essential assets - stability.



“Farmers know how to maintain the soil, invest in infrastructure, repair the barn. But if you’re letting the climate depreciate, the rest of it is a waste. The land you leave to your kids will be good for something, but not for farming,” he concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09085-w">Nature</a>.



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Climate change may devastate global food production

As climate change continues to reshape the environment, new research...

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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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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



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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



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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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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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



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The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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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

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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