A pulsing headache can feel like your brain is fighting for space. New research suggests that this tug-of-war may trace back to Neanderthal skull traits we share with our extinct cousins.



A recent study zeroes in on Chiari malformation type 1, a condition in which the lower <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538167/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cerebellum</a> droops through the foramen magnum, the bony opening at the skull’s base.



Lead author Kimberly Plomp of the <a href="https://upd.edu.ph" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of the Philippines Diliman</a> teamed up with neurosurgeon Yvens Barbosa Fernandes from Brazil’s <a href="https://unicamp.br/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">State University of Campinas</a> to test an idea he floated in 2013.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-neanderthal-skull-shape-squeezes-the-brain">Neanderthal skull shape squeezes the brain</h2>



Surgeons diagnose <a href="https://www.ninds.nih.gov/chiari-malformation-fact-sheet" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chiari</a> after spotting a compressed cerebellum on MRI scans, but the root cause has stayed murky. Scientists estimate that type 1 affects about one in every 100 Americans.



The new modeling work confirms that people with Chiari share a smaller, flatter <a href="https://bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1136/inp.m1869" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">occipital bone</a> than unaffected <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-inject-40000-year-old-neanderthal-dna-gli3-gene-into-mice-with-incredible-results/">peers</a>. That subtle tilt reduces the bony cradle that normally cups the cerebellum and keeps it clear of the spinal canal.



“It makes sense, if you have less angulation, you have less space for the modern <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neanderthal-superhighways-through-eurasia-recreated-with-supercomputers/">human</a> brain,” said Barbosa Fernandes at the end of surgery rounds. He first noticed the resemblance while examining museum casts of ancient skulls during a European trip.



Headaches are common, yet <a href="https://www.aans.org/Patients/Neurosurgical-Conditions-and-Treatments/Chiari-Malformation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chiari</a> pain often flares when coughing, straining, or even laughing. Other symptoms range from neck pain to tingling hands, and some cases stay silent for years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-neanderthal-skull-shape-linked-to-brain-condition">Neanderthal skull shape linked to brain condition</h2>



Plomp’s team built digital 3‑D models of 46 Chiari skulls and 57 controls from hospital CT scans, then compared them to eight fossil crania. 



The Chiari group <a href="https://academic.oup.com/emph/advance-article/doi/10.1093/emph/eoaf009/8175225" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">matched</a> Homo neanderthalensis almost point for point, while Homo erectus, Homo heidelbergensis, and early Homo sapiens aligned with today’s rounder <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neanderthal-fossils-reveal-signs-of-a-population-collapse/">skulls</a>.



“It highlights the idea that these are Neanderthal traits, not just early traits,” said Plomp, her screen filled with color‑coded heat maps of bone angles. She called the overlap “another way that Neanderthal genes might be influencing our health, and in this case, in a negative way.”



Neanderthals carried brains slightly larger than ours, but their cranial base sloped backward like a built‑in ramp. That shape fits an ice‑age life of powerful jaw muscles and big sinus spaces, yet it also left scant room for a bulging <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-theory-explains-why-neanderthals-vanished-and-homo-sapiens-are-alive-today/">human</a> cerebellum.



Most people carry between 1 and 2 percent <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature12961" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Neanderthal DNA</a>, a legacy of interbreeding roughly 50,000 years ago. Much of that genetic cargo is benign, though some alleles affect immune response, metabolism, and now, it seems, skull geometry.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-neanderthal-dna-and-skull-shape">Ancient Neanderthal DNA and skull shape</h2>



The overlap does not prove cause and effect, so the team now plans full‑genome scans of Chiari patients to hunt “introgressed” sequences, bits of archaic DNA that slipped into the modern gene pool. 



Introgression <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36763080/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a> have already linked certain Neanderthal variants to nicotine addiction and even severe COVID‑19 cases.



If a skull‑shaping gene set turns up, clinicians could screen high‑risk families before symptoms strike. Early detection matters because decompression surgery, while effective, involves removing bone and sometimes fusing vertebrae.



“I didn’t have the science to prove my hypothesis. This paper is a big step closer toward that proof,” said Barbosa Fernandes after reviewing the metric curves.



Other forms of Chiari, labeled types 2 through 4, follow different rules. Type 2, in contrast, is tightly linked to severe <a href="https://www.spinabifidaassociation.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">spina bifida</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-skull-shape-affects-daily-life">How skull shape affects daily life</h2>



The cerebellum fine‑tunes balance, speech, and motor control, so its squeeze can scramble day‑to‑day skills such as handwriting or climbing stairs. 



MRI technicians now know to look for the tell‑tale “tonsillar descent,” a downward bulge of cerebellar tissue past the foramen magnum.



Many patients report that lying flat eases pressure, hinting that gravity exacerbates the pinch. Others seek help only after years of unexplained migraines, an example of how ancient traits can hide in plain sight.



Anthropologists see the study as proof that evolutionary leftovers do not always vanish quietly. A skull optimized for an Ice Age hunter may pose problems for a modern desk worker whose brain spends hours hunched over screens. 



Pediatric surgeons are also watching. If Neanderthal‑linked genes surface, prenatal scans may one day flag a risky skull angle long before birth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-predicting-brain-conditions">Predicting brain conditions</h2>



Plomp’s group now collaborates with population geneticists to map their CT findings onto hundreds of living genomes. They hope to learn whether carriers of specific Neanderthal skull DNA face higher odds of surgical intervention.



Public health officials could then estimate regional Chiari burdens and tailor neurosurgery training programs. In areas with limited MRI access, a simple cranial X‑ray angle might serve as an early warning.



Evolution offers trade‑offs, and the Neanderthal‑style skull saved heat in bitter winters but became a tight squeeze for our expanded cerebellum. Knowing that trade‑off exists empowers clinicians and patients alike.



“It looks like this is just another way that Neanderthal genes might be influencing our health, and in this case, in a negative way,” said Plomp. The team hopes DNA data will seal the evolutionary link.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/emph/advance-article/doi/10.1093/emph/eoaf009/8175225?login=false" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health</a>.



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Neanderthal skull traits cause modern human brain problems

A pulsing headache can feel like your brain is fighting for space. New research suggests that this tug-of-war may trace back to Neanderthal skull traits we share with our extinct cousins. A recent study zeroes in on Chiari malformation type 1, a condition in which the lower cerebellum droops through the foramen magnum, the bony opening at the skull’s base. Lead author Kimberly Plomp of the University of the Philippines Diliman teamed up with neurosurgeon Yvens Barbosa Fernandes from Brazil’s State University of Campinas to test an idea he floated...

The mystery of what dinosaurs ate around 200 million years ago, as well as the role they played in their ecosystems, is one step closer to being uncovered.



And guess what has been aiding in solving this mystery? It's none other than the fossilized feces of these gigantic creatures.



The interesting findings have emerged as part of an international research endeavor exploring the hidden <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/early-dinosaurs-benefited-from-changes-in-global-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ancient world</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-piecing-together-the-dinosaur-diet">Piecing together the dinosaur diet</h2>



The research team included experts from <a href="https://www.uu.se/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Uppsala University</a>, who collaborated with colleagues in Norway, Poland, and Hungary.



Their approach was simple yet extraordinary. The researchers examined hundreds of samples using advanced synchrotron imaging to visualize the internal components of the fossilized feces - or coprolites - in great detail.&nbsp;



“Piecing together ‘who ate whom’ in the past is true detective work,” said study lead author Martin Qvarnström. 



“Being able to examine what animals ate and how they interacted with their environment helps us understand what enabled dinosaurs to be so successful.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-gold-mine-of-fossil-treasures">A gold mine of fossil treasures</h2>



An integral part of the research was its focus on the Polish Basin - a region from the Late <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/benggwigwishingasuchus-eremicarminis-new-triassic-crocodile-species/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Triassic</a> era that had been previously underexplored.



The study of this region led to revelations about dinosaur diets as well as insights into the ecosystem's structure during the Triassic period.



The experts further strengthened the findings by using additional fossils, climate data, and other evidence such as bones and footprints.



“Our research is innovative because we have chosen to understand the biology of early dinosaurs based on their dietary preferences. There were many surprising discoveries along the way.” said Grzegorz Niedźwiedzki, one of the contributing authors.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-dinosaur-s-dining-menu">The dinosaur's dining menu</h2>



The coprolites revealed an unexpected variety of diet for these dinosaurs that included fish, insects, large animals, plants, and even charcoal.



One species, the long-necked <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-learn-how-super-giant-sauropods-grew-to-be-so-massive/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sauropods</a>, might have ingested charcoal to detoxify their stomach contents - as ferns can be toxic to herbivores.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-perspectives-on-dinosaur-evolution">New perspectives on dinosaur evolution</h2>



This research addresses a significant gap in our understanding of the first 30 million years of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-daspletosaurus-sheds-light-on-dinosaur-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dinosaur evolution</a> during the Late Triassic period. 



Though we have ample knowledge about their life and extinction, the processes that led to their rise remain a mystery. 



The findings from this research could enlighten us about prehistoric ecosystems and evolutionary processes in a manner never seen before.



However, the most important take away from this research extends beyond the realm of dinosaurs. 



"Unfortunately, climate change and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-predict-how-and-when-humans-and-mammals-will-face-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mass extinctions</a> are not just a thing of the past," noted Qvarnström. "By studying past ecosystems, we gain a better understanding of how life adapts and thrives under changing environmental conditions."



Thus, the dinosaur's recipe for survival reveals the importance of adaptability in the face of environmental changes. 



“The way to avoid extinction is to eat a lot of plants, which is exactly what the early herbivorous dinosaurs did," said Niedzwiedzki. "The reason for their evolutionary success is a true love of green and fresh plant shoots.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-insights-into-ecosystem-interactions">Insights into ecosystem interactions</h2>



The findings from this study go beyond reconstructing what dinosaurs ate - they provide a glimpse into the intricate web of interactions within ancient ecosystems.



Fossilized feces not only reveal dietary habits but also hint at the relationships between species, such as predator-prey dynamics, competition for resources, and the role of plants in shaping these early environments. 



For instance, the discovery of charcoal in some dinosaur coprolites suggests that these creatures lived in regions prone to wildfires, and their diets likely adapted to such challenges.



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



Moreover, the research highlights how dinosaurs may have influenced their surroundings. Large herbivores, for example, played a key role in shaping vegetation through grazing, potentially altering plant diversity and distribution.



Such insights provide a deeper understanding of how dinosaurs contributed to maintaining the balance within their ecosystems, mirroring the vital role large animals play in modern habitats.



This broader perspective not only enriches our knowledge of the Triassic period but also highlights the importance of studying ancient ecosystems to inform current conservation strategies. 



The resilience and adaptability exhibited by these prehistoric creatures may offer lessons for preserving biodiversity in the face of environmental change.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08265-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



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Fossilized poop reveals the diet of dinosaurs 200 million years ago

The mystery of what dinosaurs ate around 200 million years...

A breakthrough clinical trial has revealed that an injection given during asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) flare-ups is significantly more effective than the traditional treatment of steroid tablets.&nbsp;



According to findings published in <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(24)00299-6/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Lancet Respiratory Medicine</a>, the injection reduces the need for further treatment by 30%, offering a potential “game-changing” solution for millions worldwide.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nearly-one-third-of-asthma-cases-linked-to-air-pollution/">Asthma</a> and COPD flare-ups, known as exacerbations, can be life-threatening. In the UK alone, four people with asthma and 85 with COPD tragically lose their lives each day.&nbsp;



These conditions are not only deadly but also widespread, with someone in the UK experiencing an asthma attack every 10 seconds. Combined, asthma and COPD cost the NHS £5.9 billion annually.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-targeted-approach-to-asthma-treatment-nbsp">Targeted approach to asthma treatment&nbsp;</h2>



The injection specifically targets “eosinophilic exacerbations,” which account for up to 30% of COPD flare-ups and nearly 50% of asthma attacks.&nbsp;



These exacerbations result from inflammation caused by elevated levels of eosinophils, a type of white blood cell, leading to symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, and chest tightness.



Historically, the standard treatment for such flare-ups has been steroids like prednisolone, which reduce lung inflammation. However, these drugs come with significant side effects, including an increased risk of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exercise-can-counteract-the-genetic-risk-for-diabetes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">diabetes</a> and osteoporosis.&nbsp;



Furthermore, many patients do not respond adequately to steroids, leading to repeated hospitalizations or, in severe cases, death within 90 days of treatment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-the-new-asthma-treatment-nbsp">Testing the new asthma treatment&nbsp;</h2>



The ABRA trial, led by researchers from <a href="https://www.kcl.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">King's College London</a>, tested the efficacy of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/experts-have-found-powerful-antibodies-that-neutralize-all-covid-variants/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">monoclonal antibody</a> called benralizumab, already approved for managing severe asthma.&nbsp;



The drug targets eosinophils, reducing lung inflammation. For the trial, the drug was repurposed as a one-time injection administered during exacerbations.



The multi-center trial, conducted at <a href="https://www.ouh.nhs.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust</a> and <a href="https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust</a>, randomized participants into three groups.



One group received the benralizumab injection with placebo tablets, while another received standard steroid treatment (prednisolone) with a placebo injection. The third group received both the injection and standard care.



As a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, neither the participants nor the researchers knew which treatment was being administered.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-game-changing-treatment-for-people-with-asthma-nbsp">Game-changing treatment for people with asthma&nbsp;</h2>



The results were striking. After 28 days, participants in the benralizumab group showed significant improvements in respiratory symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, and breathlessness compared to those receiving steroids.&nbsp;



By the 90-day mark, treatment failure rates were four times lower in the benralizumab group than in the steroid group.



Not only did the injection reduce the need for doctor visits or hospitalizations, but it also improved patients' overall quality of life.



“This could be a game-changer for people with asthma and COPD,” said Professor Mona Bafadhel, lead investigator of the trial.&nbsp;



“Treatment for asthma and COPD exacerbations has not changed in 50 years despite causing 3.8 million deaths worldwide a year combined. The big advance in the ABRA study is the finding that targeted therapy works in asthma and COPD attacks.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-safe-and-versatile-treatment">A safe and versatile treatment</h2>



The study demonstrated that benralizumab is safe, with no significant side effects compared to past studies of the drug. 



While healthcare professionals administered the injections during the trial, the drug could potentially be delivered at home, in GP practices, or in emergency departments in the future.



Professor Bafadhel emphasized the importance of personalized treatment: “Instead of giving everyone the same treatment, we found targeting the highest risk patients with very targeted treatment, with the right level of inflammation, was much better than guessing what treatment they needed.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-addressing-a-critical-need-in-lung-health">Addressing a critical need in lung health</h2>



The findings underscore a critical gap in research and treatment for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/viruses-can-hide-in-lung-cells-and-cause-chronic-disease/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lung</a> conditions. Dr. Samantha Walker, Director of Research and Innovation at <a href="https://www.asthmaandlung.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Asthma + Lung UK</a>, celebrated the breakthrough but highlighted the long delay in innovation.&nbsp;



“It's appalling that this is the first new treatment for those suffering from asthma and COPD attacks in 50 years, indicating how desperately underfunded lung health research is.”



“Every four minutes in the UK, someone dies from a lung condition. Thousands more live with the terror of struggling to breathe every day,” she added.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-future-of-asthma-treatment">The future of asthma treatment</h2>



The ABRA trial's success highlights the importance of collaboration between universities and healthcare systems.&nbsp;



“The ABRA trial was only possible with collaboration between the NHS and universities and shows how this close relationship can innovate health care and improve people's lives,” said lead author Sanjay Ramakrishnan, a clinical research fellow at the <a href="https://www.uwa.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Western Australia</a> and the <a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Oxford</a>.



As researchers continue to explore benralizumab's potential, the hope is that it will transform how asthma and COPD exacerbations are managed globally.&nbsp;



“We hope these pivotal studies will change how asthma and COPD exacerbations are treated for the future, ultimately improving the health for over a billion people living with asthma and COPD across the world,” Bafadhel concluded.



-----



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First new asthma treatment in 50 years offers hope for millions

A breakthrough clinical trial has revealed that an injection given...

The development of a big brain in humans and its connection to social bonding has been a hot topic of debate, and secrets found in fossil teeth may hold the answers.



Researchers have been studying the fossilized teeth of an early Homo species from Georgia, dating back approximately 1.77 million years.



The findings suggest that despite having a small brain and reaching adulthood at a similar pace to great apes, these early humans had a prolonged childhood. 



This could mean that the large brain of modern humans resulted from an extended childhood along with cultural transmission across generations instead of vice versa.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-long-childhood-big-brains">Long childhood, big brains</h2>



A team of scientists has challenged the theory that the long and extended childhoods of modern humans is directly linked to their large brains.



The team, which included specialists from Switzerland's <a href="https://www.uzh.ch/en.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Zurich</a>, the <a href="https://www.esrf.fr/home.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">European Synchrotron Radiation Facility</a> and Georgia's National Museum, analyzed dental development in an early Homo species that was almost an adult. 



The results suggest that though these early humans reached adulthood at a similar age as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/buronius-manfredschmidi-tiny-great-ape-species-lived-11-million-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">great apes</a>, their tooth development followed a longer timeline similar to modern humans.



This proposes the distinct possibility of a longer dependency on adults and an elongated childhood for these early humans.



Remarkably, the brain size of these early Homo specimens was only marginally larger than that of a chimpanzee. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-makes-longer-childhoods-better">What makes longer childhoods better?</h2>



This made the researchers question the link between the prolonged development and cultural transmission across generations. Having a longer childhood gives species a prime opportunity to learn essential survival skills. 



During these extended early years, young individuals can observe and mimic the behaviors of adults, picking up everything from foraging and hunting techniques to recognizing dangers in their environment. 



This hands-on learning ensures that when they’re fully grown, they’re well-equipped to handle the challenges of their habitat. It’s like having extra time to go to school, but for life skills instead of math and history.



Additionally, longer childhoods foster stronger social bonds and cooperation within a group. These strong social connections can lead to better teamwork when it comes to tasks like hunting, building shelters, or protecting the group from threats. 



Moreover, the extended period of dependency helps ensure that knowledge and traditions are passed down accurately from one generation to the next. 



Eventually, this led to the development of larger brains and longer life spans, traits characteristic of modern humans.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dental-development-in-early-homo">Dental development in early Homo</h2>



An enduring assumption has been that humans' extended growth period is a consequence of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-brain-sizes-are-growing-possibly-lowering-dementia-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">increased brain volume</a> since a larger organ requires more energy resources to grow. 



But analysis of the fossil's dental growth has caused researchers to question this hypothesis.



The research team used synchrotron imaging to study the dental development of a near-adult fossil of early Homo from the Dmanisi site in Georgia, dated to around 1.77 million years ago. 



<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="CWxiqQg039-4024544-12187" type="single"]</div>



“Childhood and cognition do not fossilize, so we have to rely on indirect information. Teeth are ideal because they fossilize well and produce daily rings, in the same way that trees produce annual rings, which record their development,” noted study first author Christoph Zollikofer from the University of Zurich.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-brains-connection-to-teeth">Big brains' connection to teeth</h2>



“Dental development is strongly correlated with the development of the rest of the body, including brain development," explained study co-author Paul Tafforeau, scientist at the ESRF.



"Access to the details of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/search-results/?search=fossil%20hominid&amp;start=0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fossil</a> hominid's dental growth therefore provides a great deal of information about its general growth."



After almost two decades of research beginning in 2005, the initial results startled researchers. 



“We expected to find either dental development typical of early hominids, close to that of the great apes, or dental development close to that of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neanderthal-genes-still-influence-modern-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">modern humans</a>," said Tafforeau.



"When we obtained the first results, we couldn’t believe what we saw, because it was something different that implied faster molar crown growth than in any other fossil hominin or living great ape."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-follow-up-experiments">Follow-up experiments</h2>



In the following years, the team conducted five series of experiments and completed four full analyses, employing various methods as dental synchrotron imaging technology advanced.



As the consistent results suggested significant implications for the "big brain - long childhood" hypothesis, the scientists needed to think creatively to interpret this fossil's findings.



“It's been a slow maturation, both technically and intellectually, to finally arrive at the hypothesis we are publishing today,” said Tafforeau.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-passing-culture-through-generations">Passing culture through generations</h2>



The dental development of the studied fossil suggested that milk teeth were used longer than in great apes, implying that early Homo children were dependent on adult care for a longer duration.



This could be the first experiment evolution took towards a prolonged childhood. Despite having brains only slightly larger than australopithecines or great apes, early Homo are believed to have lived longer.



The survival of a very old individual with no teeth for several years indicates that the group sufficiently cared for him. This alludes to a three-generation structure, a key aspect of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-started-cumulative-culture-around-600000-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cultural transmission in humans</a>.



The new hypothesis begins with children's growth slowing down as cultural transmission increased. 



The accumulation of information from older to younger individuals had an advantageous effect on resource utilization and the development of complex behaviors, thus favoring a longer childhood. 



Once this mechanism was established, natural selection acted on cultural transmission, not just biological traits. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-brains-and-delayed-adulthood">Big brains and delayed adulthood</h2>



As the volume of transferrable information grew, evolution supported a larger brain and delayed adulthood, enabling a longer learning period in childhood and time to grow a bigger brain despite limited food resources.



The large brain of modern humans could be attributed to an extended childhood and a three-generation structure encouraging bio-cultural evolution. 



These mechanisms may have led to increased brain size, delayed adulthood, and longer lifespan.



The study of this exceptional fossil could motivate researchers to rethink the evolutionary mechanisms that led to Homo sapiens.



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The research was made possible by the European Synchrotron in Grenoble, France.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08205-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



Image &amp; Video Credit: ESRF/Paul Tafforeau, Vincent Beyrand



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Fossil teeth show why humans evolved big brains and long childhoods

The development of a big brain in humans and its...

The human body excels at maintaining internal balance in a process known as homeostasis. This vital mechanism keeps our core temperature steady at 37°C, regardless of external conditions. 



But now, breakthrough research from the Ikmi Group at EMBL Heidelberg reveals that homeostasis goes beyond internal regulation - it can actively redefine an organism’s shape.



The starlet sea anemone (Nematostella vectensis) provides a stunning example of this phenomenon. Renowned for its extraordinary regenerative abilities, this <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-anemones-use-their-shyness-survive-heatwaves/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">creature</a> can regrow a lost head or foot and even rebuild a complete, functional body from a sliced fragment.&nbsp;



But unlike many regenerating animals that restore parts in proportion to what remains, the sea anemone reshapes its entire body to preserve its overall form, even adjusting undamaged areas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-regeneration-in-sea-anemones">Regeneration in sea anemones </h2>



“<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/axolotls-regeneration-powers-critically-endangered/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Regeneration</a> is about restoring function after tissue loss or damage,” explained Aissam Ikmi, <a href="https://www.embl.org/sites/heidelberg/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EMBL Heidelberg</a> Group Leader and senior author of a new study published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2024.11.001" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Developmental Cell</a>.&nbsp;



“Most research studies mainly consider patterns and sizes in regeneration, but our findings show that maintaining shape is also crucial - and it’s something the organism actively controls.”



The discovery started when Stephanie Cheung, a doctoral researcher in Ikmi’s group, noticed an unexpected phenomenon: when a sea anemone’s foot was injured, cell division occurred not only at the wound site but also at the opposite end of the body near the mouth. This hinted at signals being sent across the entire organism in response to injury.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-molecular-changes-triggered-by-injury">Molecular changes triggered by injury</h2>



Using spatial transcriptomics and advanced imaging techniques, the research team mapped gene activity across the anemone’s body during regeneration.&nbsp;



They found that injury triggered molecular changes both near and far from the wound. Cells moved, tissues reorganized, and the entire body reshaped itself to maintain its original proportions.



The extent of this reshaping depended on the severity of the injury. Losing a foot caused mild adjustments, while being cut in half led to significant remodeling.&nbsp;



A key player in this process was a family of enzymes called metalloproteases, which became more active as more tissue was lost. These enzymes helped realign tissues, not just at the wound site but throughout the body.



“Metalloprotease activity has never been shown before in animals like this,” said Petrus Steenbergen, one of the study’s lead authors and an Ikmi Group Senior Research Technician.&nbsp;



“I had to design and optimize experimental conditions for Nematostella based on the sparse literature available from other species. This took some time, but the final results were very rewarding.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sea-anemones-restore-their-shapes">Sea anemones restore their shapes</h2>



The team discovered that the sea anemone prioritizes restoring its shape, even after significant injury.&nbsp;



By measuring the aspect ratio - the ratio of length to width - they found that the anemone consistently returned to its pre-injury proportions. This proportional response allowed the organism to maintain its shape, even if it became smaller.



“We were able to witness the body-wide coordination that drives this remodeling,” Ikmi explained. “This proportional response allows the anemone to restore its shape, highlighting how organisms like Nematostella interpret and respond to tissue loss in a way that’s scaled to the damage incurred.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-collaborative-efforts-and-advanced-techniques">Collaborative efforts and advanced techniques</h2>



The study was a collaborative endeavor. Rik Korswagen’s team at the <a href="https://www.hubrecht.eu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hubrecht Institute</a> in the Netherlands helped implement spatial transcriptomics in the sea anemone.&nbsp;



Additionally, Oliver Stegle’s team at EMBL Heidelberg and the <a href="https://www.dkfz.de/en/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">German Cancer Research Center</a> (DKFZ) provided bioinformatics expertise and statistical methods to analyze spatial <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/personality-has-a-profound-influence-on-gene-expression/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gene expression</a> data.



“It was a pleasure to puzzle out the findings of the study together by uniting the team’s expertise in data analysis and cell biology,” said Tobias Gerber, another of the study’s lead authors. “This work was a truly collaborative journey, and I am glad I was part of it.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-questions-remain-about-sea-anemone-regeneration-nbsp">Questions remain about sea anemone regeneration&nbsp;</h2>



While the research offers fascinating insights into how Nematostella maintains its shape during regeneration, it raises new questions.



“The next big question is why maintaining shape is so important,” Ikmi said. “And how does the organism sense its own shape? How does it know what it currently looks like?”



With the starlet sea anemone as their model, the team is eager to explore the mechanisms underlying these abilities. Their work holds promise for understanding how organisms heal, maintain balance, and adapt to injury, potentially unlocking new avenues in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/secrets-of-killifish-regeneration-may-help-us-heal-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">regenerative medicine</a> and biology.



Matthew Be



Image Credit: Matthew Benton/ EMBLtMatthew Bentonhew Benton/EMBL : M: Matthew Benton/EMBLatthew Matthew BentonBenton/EM



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Sea anemones can regrow their entire body in its original shape

The human body excels at maintaining internal balance in a...

The unending stretch of the Greenland Ice Sheet, like a seasoned custodian of countless secrets, has concealed a Cold War-era ice camp beneath its surface.



This hidden camp came to light in 2024 when NASA scientist Chad Greene, aboard the Gulfstream III with his team of engineers, embarked on the expedition of a lifetime.



While probing the depths of the ice sheet about 150 miles east of Pituffik Space Base in northern Greenland, the radar readings showed a <a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/greenland_camp-century_hidden-base_buried-under-ice_NASA_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">curious blip that sparked their interest</a>.



The team had identified evidence of the buried remains of Camp Century.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-camp-century-city-under-the-ice">Camp Century: City under the ice</h2>



"We were looking for the bed of the&nbsp;ice, and out pops&nbsp;Camp&nbsp;Century," exclaimed Alex Gardner, a cryospheric scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (<a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JPL</a>), who had assisted in spearheading the project.



Camp Century, also affectionately known as the "city under the ice," is a vestige of the chilling days when the Cold War was in full swing. 



Constructed in 1959 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, this hidden military base was etched out within the layers of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenland-ice-sheet-discovery-transforms-sea-level-predictions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ice sheet</a> itself.



Traces of the facility, which has been abandoned since 1967, now lie encased approximately 30 meters (100 feet) beneath the icy surface, waiting to narrate their intriguing past.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-exactly-went-on-at-camp-century">What exactly went on at Camp Century?</h2>



Camp Century's main goal was to explore the feasibility of living and operating in extreme cold conditions, which was crucial during the Cold War era. 



The base was constructed using large, <a href="https://eoimages.gsfc.nasa.gov/images/imagerecords/153000/153616/campcentury_pho_1966_lrg.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">prefabricated modules connected by tunnels</a>, all insulated and heated to keep the inhabitants comfortable despite the freezing temperatures outside. 



About 25 scientists and military personnel lived there, conducting experiments in geology, hydrology, and glaciology, while also testing technologies that could support long-term Arctic missions.



One of the most intriguing aspects of Camp Century is its innovative use of nuclear power. 



The base was powered by a portable nuclear reactor, making it one of the first of its kind to operate in such harsh environments. 



However, when the base was abandoned in 1967, concerns arose about the disposal of nuclear waste left behind.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-deciphering-the-indicators">Deciphering the indicators</h2>



Akin to an ultrasound meant for ice sheets, radar plays a pivotal role in unraveling the truths kept secret by nature.



Radar works on a simple principle - it emits radio waves and times their reflections back to the source. This allows scientists to map out the ice surface meticulously, along with its various internal layers, and the bedrock underneath.



Previous airborne surveys that flew over Camp Century managed to detect signs of the base encapsulated within the ice sheets. 



These surveys utilized conventional, ground-penetrating radar that aims directly downwards, which yielded a 2D profile of the ice sheet. 



This gave an impression of Camp Century's solid structures that appeared like an anomaly in the deformed layers of ice.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-generating-maps-with-advanced-technology">Generating maps with advanced technology </h2>



The April 2024 flights, however, could go a step further with NASA's <a href="https://uavsar.jpl.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UAVSAR</a> (Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar) adorning the belly of the aircraft.



This cutting-edge system introduces a wider angle of view, and looks both downward and sideways, thus generating maps that teem with additional dimensions.



"In the new data, individual structures in the secret city are visible in a way that they've never been seen before," explained Greene.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-determining-the-camp-s-alignment-under-ice">Determining the camp's alignment under ice</h2>



When juxtaposed with historical maps of the base's planned layout, the parallel structures demonstrate a striking alignment with the tunnels initially built to house a myriad of facilities.



Yet, the added dimensionality comes with its own challenges in terms of interpretation. 



For instance, the long line that seems to appear "above" the base is actually the ice bed, lying at least a mile below the ice sheet's surface, and well beneath the depth of Camp Century.



This apparent "inversion" is caused by the radar's return showing part of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/satellite-records-a-650-foot-tsunami-in-greenland-that-lasted-9-days/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ice</a> bed far in the distance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-camp-century-more-than-a-historical-curiosity">Camp Century: More than a historical curiosity</h2>



Apart from their historical significance, maps created with conventional radar have aided scientists in corroborating estimates of Camp Century's depth.



This information is crucial in estimating when the melting and thinning of the ice sheet could potentially re-expose the camp and any leftover biological, chemical, and radioactive waste buried with it.



The scientific utility of the new UAVSAR image of Camp Century remains uncertain. For the moment, it's a novelty - an amazing discovery made purely by chance. However, the principal aim of Greene and Gardner was not to capture this image of Camp Century.



Their principal objective was to "calibrate, validate, and understand the capabilities and limitations of UAVSAR for mapping the ice sheet's internal layers and the ice-bed interface," as Greene clarified.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-future-of-measuring-ice-thickness">The future of measuring ice thickness</h2>



Such instruments hold the key to a future where scientists might efficiently measure the thickness of ice sheets in similar <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenland-transformation-ice-melt-plant-growth-vegetation-cascading-effects/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">environments</a> in Antarctica. Such data is critical in modeling estimates of future sea level rise.



"Without a detailed knowledge of ice thickness, it is impossible to know how the ice sheets will respond to rapidly warming oceans and atmosphere, greatly limiting our ability to project rates of sea level rise," Gardner explained.



The test flights that captured Camp Century will undoubtedly usher in the next generation of mapping campaigns focused on ice in Greenland, Antarctica, and beyond.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory 



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"City under the ice": NASA finds secret base buried in Greenland

The unending stretch of the Greenland Ice Sheet, like a...

With over 30,000 weather stations worldwide collecting daily data on temperature, precipitation, and other climate indicators, analyzing this immense dataset is a monumental task for researchers.&nbsp;



Traditionally, climate scientists have relied on statistical methods to interpret these datasets, but a recent breakthrough demonstrates the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to revolutionize this process.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-previously-unrecorded-climate-extremes">Previously unrecorded climate extremes</h2>



A team led by Étienne Plésiat of the <a href="https://www.dkrz.de/en/dkrz-partner-for-climate-research?set_language=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">German Climate Computing Center</a> in Hamburg, alongside colleagues from the UK and Spain, applied AI to reconstruct European climate extremes.



The research not only confirmed known climate trends but also revealed previously unrecorded extreme <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-earth-energy-imbalance-temperature-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">events</a>.



As climate change accelerates, understanding how temperature and precipitation extremes are evolving is critical for adaptation and planning.&nbsp;



Recent studies have shown that heat and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rainfall-is-increasingly-unpredictable-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rainfall</a> extremes are increasing dramatically. For instance, heavy rainfall events in some regions are now classified as “far outside the historical climate,” while heat extremes have expanded, affecting over 30% of global land areas annually compared to just 1% in 1950.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-offers-a-solution-to-data-gaps">AI offers a solution to data gaps</h2>



Despite the increasing prevalence of climate extremes, analyzing historical temperature data is challenging due to gaps in records. 



Weather stations - particularly in the early 20th century - often faced interruptions, whether due to damaged equipment, station closures, or the lack of replacements.&nbsp;



Sparse data from regions like Africa and the polar areas further complicate comprehensive analysis.



Data homogenization, a research area focused on standardizing and filling gaps in datasets, has long been used to address these issues.&nbsp;



However, traditional statistical methods often struggle in areas with scarce weather stations, leaving uncertainties in extreme climate reconstructions.



Recognizing the limitations of traditional methods, Plésiat and his colleagues turned to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-predicts-global-warmings-impact-on-extreme-weather/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AI</a>, specifically neural network techniques, to reconstruct temperature extremes.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-extremes-in-europe-nbsp">Climate extremes in Europe&nbsp;</h2>



Europe, with its dense network of weather stations and long historical records - such as the Hadley Central England Temperature dataset, which dates back to 1659 - offered an ideal testing ground.



The team’s AI, dubbed CRAI (Climate Reconstruction AI), focused on extreme events such as unusually warm or cold days and nights. 



CRAI outperformed traditional interpolation methods like Kriging and Inverse Distance Weighting, which predict temperatures at unmeasured locations using nearby weather station data.&nbsp;



These traditional methods often falter when station density is low, a gap that CRAI bridged effectively.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reconstructing-climate-history">Reconstructing climate history</h2>



Using historical simulations from the CMIP6 archive (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project), the team trained CRAI to reconstruct past climate data.&nbsp;



The experts validated their results using standard metrics such as root mean square error and Spearman’s rank-order correlation coefficient, which measure accuracy and association between variables.



The results were promising. CRAI outperformed conventional methods in reconstructing the frequency of extreme events—such as the percentage of days with temperatures above the 90th percentile (warm days) or below the 10th percentile (cool days).



The researchers then applied CRAI to the HadEX3 dataset, which includes over 80 indices of extreme temperature and precipitation from 1901 to 2018. CRAI not only reconstructed past extremes with high accuracy but also uncovered long-forgotten events.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unearthing-unknown-climate-extremes">Unearthing unknown climate extremes</h2>



One of the most striking findings was CRAI’s ability to reveal previously unrecorded climate extremes. For instance, the AI uncovered a severe cold spell in 1929 and a major <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-heatwaves-are-expanding-their-reach-across-the-globe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heatwave</a> in 1911, events that were only hinted at anecdotally due to sparse data at the time.



“Our research demonstrates both the necessity and the potential benefits of applying this approach to the global scale or other regions with scarce data,” the authors explained.&nbsp;



They emphasized that AI-based reconstruction enhances accuracy, particularly in data-poor regions, and opens new possibilities for climate research.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-potential-of-ai-in-climate-science">The potential of AI in climate science</h2>



The study highlights AI’s transformative potential to improve our understanding of climate extremes and their long-term changes.&nbsp;



By training models like CRAI on larger datasets, researchers can achieve even greater accuracy and uncover hidden patterns in global climate history.



“This work underscores the transformative potential of AI to improve our understanding of climate extremes and their long-term changes,” the researchers concluded.



As climate change continues to intensify, AI tools like CRAI offer a powerful means to analyze past data, predict future trends, and guide adaptation strategies in an increasingly extreme world.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-53464-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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AI reveals hidden climate extremes in Europe

With over 30,000 weather stations worldwide collecting daily data on...

Light is something we interact with every day, but have you ever wondered what the shape of a single particle of light -- the photon -- actually looks like? 



For the first time, researchers have defined the <a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/photon-single_precise-shape_credit-Benjamin-Yuen_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">precise shape</a> of a single photon, a huge leap forward in quantum physics and material science.



Dr. Benjamin Yuen from the <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Birmingham</a> led the groundbreaking research that delves deep into the quantum level of light and matter interaction. 



His team's findings, published in Physical Review Letters, provide a visual representation of a photon while enhancing our understanding of how photons are emitted and shaped by their environment.



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



A photon is the fundamental unit of light and all <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lightning-sparks-the-discovery-of-a-new-electromagnetic-wave/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">electromagnetic radiation</a>. Unlike particles that have mass, photons are massless and always move at the speed of light.



They exhibit both particle-like and wave-like properties, a concept known as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quantum-tunneling-allow-particles-break-light-speed-barrier/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wave-particle duality</a>.



Photons carry energy and momentum, determined by their frequency or wavelength. Simply put, the higher the frequency, the more energy a photon possesses. 



This unique dual nature allows photons to interact with matter in special ways, such as being absorbed or emitted by atoms. 



These interactions are essential for processes like vision, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/key-to-life-on-earth-photosynthesis-begins-on-the-quantum-level-with-a-single-photon/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">photosynthesis</a>, and the technology behind our electronic devices.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-photon-shape-and-the-far-field">Photon shape and the "far field"</h2>



The interaction between photons and their environment leads to endless possibilities for how light exists and travels. 



This limitless potential makes modeling these interactions exceptionally challenging -- a puzzle that quantum physicists have been trying to solve for decades.



"Our calculations enabled us to convert a seemingly unsolvable problem into something that can be computed," Dr. Yuen explained.



"And, almost as a byproduct of the model, we were able to produce this image of a photon, something that hasn't been seen before in physics."



By grouping the infinite possibilities of photon interactions into distinct sets, the team produced a model that describes not only <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quantum-leap-making-light-waves-stand-still-photonic-crystals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">how photons interact </a>with the atoms or molecules that emit them, but also how the energy from that interaction travels into the distant surroundings, known as the "far field."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-do-we-care-about-photon-shape">Why do we care about photon shape?</h2>



We depend on photons more than we might realize. Our eyes detect photons, allowing us to see the world around us. 



In technology, photons are crucial for solar panels that convert light into electricity and fiber optic cables that provide high-speed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/artificial-atoms-qkd-quantum-communication-revolutionizing-data-protection-privacy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">internet and communications</a>.



Photons also play a significant role in scientific research. They are central to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/like-charged-particles-attract-each-other-defying-coulombs-laws-of-physics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quantum electrodynamics</a> (QED), the theory that describes how light and matter interact. 



Photons act as force carriers for the electromagnetic force, one of the four fundamental forces in the universe. 



They facilitate interactions between charged particles like electrons and protons, governing a wide range of physical phenomena.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-advancing-quantum-physics">Advancing quantum physics</h2>



"The geometry and optical properties of the environment have profound consequences for how photons are emitted, including defining the photons' shape, color, and even how likely it is to exist," explained co-author Professor Angela Demetriadou.



Understanding the precise shape and behavior of photons could revolutionize the way we design <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trapped-atoms-forced-to-serve-as-transistors-quantum-network/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nanophotonic technologies</a>. 



This could lead to advancements in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/unbreakable-encryption-brings-quantum-internet-communication-closer-to-reality/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">secure communication methods</a>, improved detection of pathogens, and even control over chemical reactions at a molecular level.



"This work helps us to increase our understanding of the energy exchange between light and matter, and to better understand how light radiates into its nearby and distant surroundings," Dr. Yuen added.



"Lots of this information had previously been thought of as just 'noise' -- but there's so much information within it that we can now make sense of and make use of."



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



By comprehending how photons interact with their environment, scientists can engineer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/if-shadows-are-created-by-light-how-can-laser-light-cast-a-shadow/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">light-matter interactions</a> for future applications. 



Imagine better sensors that can detect diseases at an early stage, more efficient solar cells that provide cleaner energy, or advancements in quantum computing that could solve complex problems in seconds.



"By understanding this, we set the foundations to be able to engineer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quantum-ping-pong-game-played-by-two-atoms-controlling-photons/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">light-matter interactions</a> for future applications," says Dr. Yuen. 



The possibilities are vast and could significantly impact various fields, from healthcare to technology and environmental science.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-photon-shape-and-future-technology">Photon shape and future technology</h2>



To sum it all up, this fascinating research represents a significant step forward in quantum physics. 



By defining the precise shape of a single photon, the team has provided a tool that could help scientists and engineers design new technologies that harness the unique properties of light.



The findings not only answer long-standing questions about the fundamental nature of photons but also open up new questions and research paths. 



As we continue to explore the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-quantum-revolution-will-impact-all-aspects-of-society/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quantum world</a>, understanding the building blocks of light will be crucial in pushing the boundaries of what's possible.



The visualization of a photon is a testament to human curiosity and our desire to understand the universe at its most fundamental level. 



With this new knowledge, we're not just looking at light differently -- we're poised to use it in ways we never thought possible.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.133.203604" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Physical Review Letters</a>.



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Exact shape of a single photon revealed for the first time

Light is something we interact with every day, but have...

The next time you clean out your closet and happily donate old clothes to charity, you might want to stop and think for a moment.



We are taught growing up that by donating clothes we don't need to charity, they will ultimately end up in the possession of people who actually do need those clothes, and who will put them to good use.



Unfortunately, that is no longer the case. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fast-fashion-donated-clothes-disaster">Fast fashion + donated clothes = disaster</h2>



Since the advent of the fast fashion industry, there is a constant stream of trendy, affordable clothing available to anyone with the click of a mouse. 



This abundance diminishes the demand for second-hand clothes, as people choose to buy new items instead.



Given that real clothing prices have decreased and real incomes have risen (when adjusting for inflation), people can purchase more clothing for the same amount of money compared to 30 years ago.



Today, the amount of donated clothes continues to grow exponentially, but there are not nearly enough people in the world who actually want to take possession of those donations. 



The resulting imbalance between supply and demand in the second-hand clothing market has caused enormous, unforeseen <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/electronic-waste-is-growing-five-times-faster-than-recycling/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">environmental problems</a>, impacting every corner of the planet.



A new study, published in the journal Nature Cities, has brought to light some shocking revelations about the destiny of our donated garments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unfortunate-fate-of-donated-clothes">Unfortunate fate of donated clothes</h2>



Researchers have been diligently following the trail of donated clothes and textiles across several western cities. 



The findings are quite disturbing. In most cities, spanning from Melbourne to Manchester to Manhattan, donated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fashion-industrys-plastic-waste-is-a-major-environmental-threat/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">textiles</a> are either exported or dumped as waste.



It's alarming to consider that the weight of global textile waste each year is 92 million tons, a number that could see a scary doubling by 2030.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-role-of-charity-shops">Crucial role of charity shops</h2>



Charity shops do an admirable job of handling a large volume of used and donated clothes. However, they face a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fast-fashion-toll-environment/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">complex predicament</a>. 



Quite a few of the donations they receive are of poor quality, reducing the financial benefit of managing them locally. 



So, how do these charities adapt? They trade valuable items and discard or export the remainder.



An interesting case in point is Melbourne, where charities export high-quality, often vintage, second-hand clothes to Europe. 



This results in the city's independent resale businesses importing similar clothing back from Europe or the United States.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenges-of-high-volume-and-low-quality">Challenges of high volume and low quality</h2>



Over the past 15 to 20 years, charities and collectors have reported a concerning decrease in the quality of the garments they receive, which negatively impacts their resale potential.



According to Dr. Yassie Samie of <a href="https://www.rmit.edu.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">RMIT University</a> in Melbourne, local governments and charities need a stronger and more efficient collaboration to manage textile waste.



"We're used to charities doing the heavy lifting, but they've been unable to fully handle the volume of donated clothes for a long time now," said Dr. Samie.



"Charities are driven by social welfare values and need to raise funds for their programs. However, their operations are ill-equipped to deal with the volume of used textiles that need to be reused and recycled."



Local government cooperation is essential in this regard, and Samie suggests that charities explore other business models, such as swapping and repair centers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-export-of-donated-clothes">Export of donated clothes</h2>



Overconsumption and oversupply are the main culprits behind the cities' textile waste crisis. These lead to the export of between 33% (Australia) and 97% (Norway) of donated clothes.



It's important to note that most local governments in the cities studied do not get involved in textile waste beyond providing public spaces and licenses for charity bins and commercial resellers. 



In fact, in cities like Melbourne, local governments send discarded textiles directly to landfill, instead of diverting them to recycling or reuse facilities, or other employing other, local alternatives.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-need-for-systemic-change">Need for systemic change</h2>



Dr. Samie noted that systemic change is vital to address the issue of textile waste. She emphasizes the importance of promoting local <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eco-friendly-vegan-leather-could-transform-the-fashion-industry/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">alternatives</a> to fast fashion, including reselling, swapping, and repairing.



"Sustainable fashion initiatives, like second-hand retailers, struggle to compete with fashion brands' big marketing budgets and convenient locations," said Dr. Samie.



"Fast fashion alternatives exist but they are under-promoted, despite their potential to significantly reduce cities' textile waste."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-cost-of-donated-clothes">Hidden cost of donated clothes</h2>



The exportation of donated clothes presents another layer of complexity in the textile waste conundrum. 



While sending garments abroad might appear as a practical solution for local waste management challenges, it offloads the environmental and social costs onto less-regulated markets.



These exported textiles often end up in countries with weak waste management infrastructures, where they can accumulate in landfills, contributing to pollution and resource strain. 



Moreover, the influx of cheap, second-hand clothing can undermine local textile industries, impacting the livelihoods of workers who depend on traditional garment production.



Relying on exports as an easy fix not only perpetuates global inequalities but also stalls the necessary advancements in sustainable local solutions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-approaches-to-mitigating-waste">Approaches to mitigating waste</h2>



Transformative approaches to addressing textile waste are beginning to emerge, albeit at varying scales of impact. 



Some forward-thinking cities and organizations have started to implement circular economy strategies, focusing on keeping resources in use for as long as possible through upcycling, recycling, and the utilization of biodegradable materials. 



Collaborations between fashion brands, municipalities, and environmental organizations have led to the establishment of community repair cafes and textile recycling hubs. 



These initiatives not only reduce waste but also educate the public on the value of sustainable practices.



A multi-faceted approach incorporating education, policy change, and grassroots involvement is critical for creating lasting change. 



By promoting a culture of sustainability, cities can turn the tide on textile waste and lead the way towards a more environmentally responsible future.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fashion-advertising-ban">Fashion advertising ban</h2>



The study's authors propose a ban on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fast-fashion-carbon-footprint/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fashion</a> advertising in cities to make room for promoting more sustainable alternatives to donating clothes. 



Recently, France introduced a ban on advertising ultra-fast fashion. Dr. Samie supports such regulations and would like to collaborate with local governments to find better uses for discarded textiles.



Ultimately, the study sheds light on the urgent need for smarter methods of managing textile waste.



As the global textile waste burden continues to grow, each one of us must take responsibility for our shopping habits and make more sustainable choices. 



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s44284-024-00140-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Cities</a>.



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The dark side of donating clothes to charity will surprise you

The next time you clean out your closet and happily...

For Neanderthals, the most advanced technology wasn't necessarily metal or stone; it could have been a simple piece of sticky plant matter.



This remarkable adhesive, used to bind tools or even chewed for health benefits, played a crucial role in daily life.



While it's long been known that Neanderthals relied on birch tar, the mystery of how they extracted and processed this valuable substance has remained unsolved - until now.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-forgotten-neanderthal-pit">The forgotten Neanderthal pit</h2>



A remarkable study involving researchers from the <a href="https://ics-seville.org/university-of-seville/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Seville</a> has offered the answers we've been looking for.



Inside the Vanguard Cave in Gibraltar, researchers unearthed a structure that aligns with theories about how the Neanderthals could have obtained the resinous tar from processing different plants.



The humble structure appears to be a simple pit, but it has monumental implications as a presumed anoxic heating chamber. Its simplicity meant that the pit's potential significance was overlooked.



However, this structure's discovery in a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known as Gorham’s Caves Complex, is foundational in our understanding of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/early-humans-impacted-earth-than-previously-thought-2/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ancient human activities</a>.



The site's preservation is due to its swift encapsulation by a dune.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exceptional-cognitive-abilities-of-neanderthals">Exceptional cognitive abilities of Neanderthals </h2>



The discovery was not a one-man job. A team of 31 researchers, hailing from more than five countries and specializing in 15 different fields, collaborated to establish that this structure indeed dates back 60,000 years to Neanderthal times.



The University of Seville's own Fernando Muñiz clarifies that Neanderthals were not, as often depicted, crude and brutal beings.



In fact, the discovery reaffirms that they demonstrated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neanderthal-behavior-provides-clues-about-their-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">exceptional cognitive abilities</a> as they were able to use chemical processes to create a resinous adhesive for their tools.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-smart-were-neanderthals">How smart were Neanderthals?</h2>



Neanderthals were smarter than many people give them credit for. They crafted sophisticated tools using the Mousterian technique, which shows they could plan and execute complex tasks. 



These early humans hunted large game together, suggesting they worked well in teams and communicated effectively. 



They also managed to control fire, build sturdy shelters, and make clothing from animal hides, which kept them warm in harsh climates. All these activities point to strong problem-solving skills and adaptability.



Beyond their practical skills, Neanderthals showed signs of creativity and social complexity. They buried their dead, which might indicate a sense of ritual or respect for others. 



Some archaeological finds suggest they created art or decorative items, hinting at symbolic thinking. Their brains were as large as or even larger than ours, which likely gave them the capacity for language and complex thought. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-neanderthals-were-masters-of-technology">Neanderthals were masters of technology</h2>



According to Clive Finlayson, the excavation manager, creating this adhesive substance would have required a thoughtful process. This includes selecting the appropriate plants and extracting the resin without incinerating them.



To validate that the Neanderthals constructed the structure, the team developed methodologies and even completed an archaeological exercise. 



Evidence also suggests that the adhesive resin may have been extracted from the prickly <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-do-plants-handle-competition-during-extreme-drought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rockrose plant</a>, a tree that was more prevalent in Mediterranean latitudes during Neanderthal times.



This transformative project sets a precedent in understanding the technological prowess and organizational capacity of the Neanderthals.



Led by the Gibraltar Museum, the University of Murcia, the Andalusian Earth Sciences Institute, and with contributions from the University of Seville, the project is shedding new light on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-provides-insights-into-the-lives-of-neanderthals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Neanderthal life</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-uncovering-evidence-of-early-artistry">Uncovering evidence of early artistry</h2>



Finlayson's team also discovered a unique hashtag-like mark on a piece of limestone in 2012. This simple yet significant engraving is seen by experts as evidence of early artistry.



Neanderthals also collected feathers - specifically black ones - from a variety of birds, possibly for decorative or ceremonial purposes.



Neanderthals had an understanding of medicinal plants and even buried their dead. Jewelry-making and specialized <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neanderthals-glue-created-and-used-underestimated-intelligence/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tool creation</a> were also part of their innovation basket.



According to Muñiz, they could communicate vocally and possibly had high-pitched, hoarse voices.



As our understanding of these prehistoric humans deepens, it becomes increasingly clear that there was more to them than meets the eye. Through ingenuity, organization, and craft, they were indeed masters of their primitive world.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-impressive-legacy-of-innovation">An impressive legacy of innovation</h2>



The discovery of the adhesive-making pit in Gibraltar challenges our modern perception of innovation. 



While technology today is often associated with complexity, the Neanderthals demonstrate that simplicity and ingenuity can coexist. 



Their ability to adapt natural resources to solve practical problems, like binding tools with resinous extracts, highlights an advanced understanding of materials science and environmental management.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-early-form-of-experimental-circumstances">Early form of experimental circumstances </h2>



Beyond practicality, their actions reveal a deeper connection to their environment. By selecting specific plants and mastering controlled heating techniques, Neanderthals showcased an early form of experimental learning that enabled them to refine processes through observation and iteration.



This suggests they not only developed innovative methods but also passed down this knowledge across generations, forming the building blocks of technological heritage.



This discovery also serves as a reminder of the fragility of human history. Structures like the resin pit are rare finds, preserved only under exceptional circumstances. 



The swift encapsulation of the site by sand dunes has protected a story that might otherwise have been lost to time. 



These ancient innovations, hidden beneath layers of sediment, remind us of the resilience and ingenuity of our distant relatives, and inspire us to look at innovation through a broader, more inclusive lens.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277379124005274?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Quaternary Science Reviews</a>.



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How Neanderthals mastered the art of creating and using tape and glue

For Neanderthals, the most advanced technology wasn't necessarily metal or...

An old saying would have us believe that "age is just a number." But in the context of our organs, aging is not a uniform process. Because of this, doctors often use the term "biological age," which has quickly become the hottest new health and wellness buzzword.



It turns out, your heart might be older than your chronological age, while your brain could be equivalent to that of someone who is much younger.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-biological-age-what-does-that-mean">"Biological age" -- what does that mean?</h2>



You'd imagine that, as we age, our body follows suit as a whole. But recent research suggests that it's not so simple. What's happening under the skin is much more complex.



When people refer to "biological age" they're talking about how your <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-bodies-undergo-very-rapid-change-aging-at-two-very-specific-times/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">body is really aging</a>, which might be different from the number of years you've been alive.



While <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/time-flies-by-much-faster-as-we-get-older-human-perception/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">chronological age</a> counts the actual time since you were born, biological age looks at factors like how well your organs are functioning, your muscle strength, and even things like your skin elasticity.



It's influenced by your lifestyle choices, such as diet, exercise, sleep, and stress levels, as well as your genetics.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-biological-age-correlates-to-health">How biological age correlates to health</h2>



For example, two people who are both 50 years old chronologically might have very different biological ages depending on how they've taken care of their bodies over the years.



Comparing biological age to chronological age gives a more personalized picture of your overall health and aging process.



If your biological age is lower than your chronological age, it usually means you're leading a healthy lifestyle and your body is functioning better than average for your age.



On the flip side, a higher biological age might indicate that you need to make some changes to improve your health and slow down the aging process.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-measuring-the-age-of-organs">Measuring the age of organs</h2>



As mentioned, biological age refers to how well a specific organ is functioning. This "functional age" can be dramatically different across all parts of your body.



It's possible for different organs can have different biological or functional ages. 



For instance, if a person is a smoker but does not drink alcohol, you can assume that the functional and biological age of that person's lungs is much lower than the biological age of their liver.



So, how do scientists figure out the biological age of your organs? They've developed sophisticated tools known as "aging clocks."



These clocks analyze the levels of protein markers in your blood samples. The protein markers are the tattletales of your organs, and reveal the secrets of their functional age.



By studying these markers, the researchers can figure out if you're a "heart ager" or a "brain ager."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-impact-of-premature-aging">Impact of premature aging</h2>



Is your heart punching above its weight, age-wise? If so, this could increase your risk of heart failure by a staggering 250 percent.



And what about the brain? If it's aging faster than it should, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alzheimers-disease-attacks-the-brain-in-two-separate-phases/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alzheimer's disease</a> may become a realistic concern.



These are just a few examples of the profound consequences of premature aging in particular organs.



On the flip side, a youthful brain might potentially mean less risk of dementia, and a longer life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-is-biological-age-important">Why is biological age important?</h2>



It turns out that the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tricking-cells-into-thinking-they-ate-less-food-can-slow-aging-process/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">aging process</a> in our organs is interconnected. If one organ begins to age prematurely, it might send a biochemical postcard that accelerates the aging process in others.



This chain reaction underscores the importance of keeping our organs healthy and "young" for as long as we can.



The findings of these studies offer a glimmer of hope. If we can figure out which organs are aging faster in our bodies, we could potentially slow down the whole process.



Scientists could tailor medical treatments or suggest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/simple-lifestyle-changes-could-prevent-half-of-all-cancer-deaths/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lifestyle changes</a> specifically suited to support our older organs. The dream is to manage aging, organ by organ.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-aging-and-personalized-medicine">Aging and personalized medicine</h2>



Advancements in personalized medicine are paving the way for innovative approaches to tackling organ-specific aging.



By leveraging the insights from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-bodies-begin-breaking-down-very-precise-age/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">aging clocks</a> and biomarkers, researchers can design targeted interventions that address the unique needs of each organ.



For instance, a heart exhibiting advanced biological aging may benefit from treatments aimed at reducing arterial stiffness or improving cardiac tissue regeneration.



Meanwhile, therapies focusing on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabinol-could-be-key-to-preventing-brain-disorders/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">neuroprotection</a> could support a prematurely aging brain.



Such precision not only marks a major leap in age management but also allows for preventive measures that are tailored to the individual and reduce the risk of debilitating conditions before they arise.



This personalized approach holds immense promise for fostering healthier and more vibrant aging.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-stay-young">How to stay young</h2>



While breakthroughs in medical science are exhilarating, the importance of lifestyle choices cannot be overstated.



Diet, exercise, sleep, and stress management play pivotal roles in the biological aging of our organs. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/inaoside-new-antioxidant-discovered-laetiporus-cremeiporus-mushrooms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Antioxidant-rich foods</a>, for example, combat oxidative stress, which is a major contributor to aging at the cellular level.



Regular physical activity enhances cardiovascular health and encourages neurogenesis, supporting both heart and brain longevity.



Additionally, quality sleep aids cellular repair, while effective stress management reduces the production of harmful hormones that can accelerate aging.



Simply put, the choices we make every day <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-aging-what-animals-can-teach-us-about-getting-older/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">act as powerful tools</a> in influencing the age of our internal organs. Small improvements in habits can lead to profound results over time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-we-learned">What we learned</h2>



To sum it all up, aging isn't the same for every part of your body, even if you’re the same age as someone else. While your heart might show signs of being older, your brain could be functioning like it's much younger. 



This difference is what scientists call "biological age," which looks at how well your organs are doing based on things like muscle strength, skin elasticity, and overall organ function. 



Unlike your chronological age, which is just the number of years you've lived, your biological age can vary depending on your lifestyle choices, such as your diet, exercise habits, sleep quality, and stress levels, as well as your genetics. 



So, two people who are both 50 years old might have very different biological ages if one leads a healthier lifestyle than the other.



Our understanding and perception of aging needs to shift from a broad stroke approach to a more finely focused one.



By concentrating on the distinct aging patterns of our organs, we just might be able to crack the code and halt or even reverse the aging process.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.07.597771v1.full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BioRxiv</a> by <a href="https://www.stanford.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stanford University</a> researchers.



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Which is more important - 'biological age' or 'chronological age'?

An old saying would have us believe that "age is...

They say the sea has many secrets, but the intriguing tale of coral adaptation to oceanic temperature changes, amid the impacts of climate change, may not be hidden for much longer.



The stakes are high; without swift curbs on global greenhouse gas emissions, our coral reefs might not keep up with the demands of a warming sea. 



This revelation comes courtesy of an international team of scientists who are striving to peer beyond the turbid waters of environmental uncertainty.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coral-bleaching-from-climate-change">Coral bleaching from climate change</h2>



At the lead of this crucial research is Dr. Liam Lachs, an esteemed figure from <a href="https://www.ncl.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Newcastle University</a>. With his dedicated team, he has introduced us to a startling possibility. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coral-reefs-may-be-more-resilient-than-we-thought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Coral reefs</a> might weather the heat of our warming oceans, but only if we rally behind the commitments of the Paris Agreement and keep global warming within the reasonable limit of two degrees Celsius.



“The reality is that marine heatwaves are triggering mass coral bleaching mortality events across the world’s shallow tropical reef ecosystems, and the&nbsp;increasing frequency and intensity&nbsp;of these events is set to ramp up under climate change,” explained Dr. Lachs.



While there are ripples of hope from recent studies that suggest the potential for adaptation among corals, one fundamental question remains. Can this adaptation, driven by natural selection, keep pace with global warming?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-case-of-the-palau-corals">The case of the Palau Corals</h2>



For answers, the researchers turned to the serene corals of Palau in the western Pacific Ocean. The team built an eco-evolutionary simulation model of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/healthy-coral-transplants-could-revolutionize-reef-restoration/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coral populations</a> using these corals.



They integrated data regarding the evolutionary biology of common but thermally sensitive corals and their ecology.



With this, the researchers determined the potential consequences of various future scenarios, considering global development and fossil fuel usage.



"Our world is expected to warm by 3-5 degrees by the end of this century if we do not achieve Paris Agreement commitments. Under such levels of warming, natural selection may be insufficient to ensure the survival of some of the more sensitive yet important coral species," cautioned study co-author Professor Peter Mumby from the <a href="https://uq.edu.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Queensland</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-of-corals-and-climate-change">Future of corals and climate change</h2>



The models suggest dire consequences. We can foresee drastic reductions in reef health that will potentially push thermally sensitive coral species towards local extinction.



However, there is still room for hope as we don't yet fully understand the "evolvability" of coral populations.



Dr. James Guest, who leads the Coralassist Lab, emphasized the urgency for climate-smart management options. He also stressed the significance of collaborative efforts among researchers, conservationists, and policymakers to tackle the challenges faced by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/multivitamins-could-save-coral-reefs-from-climate-destruction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coral populations</a>.



By promoting interdisciplinary collaborations and knowledge-sharing, we can develop comprehensive strategies that address the complex interplay of environmental and genetic factors impacting coral resilience. 



This multidisciplinary approach will be crucial in formulating effective management plans and conservation initiatives.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-investing-in-research-and-innovation">Investing in research and innovation</h2>



According to Dr. Guest, there is a crucial need to invest in research and innovation to mitigate the threats faced by coral populations.



"One such option, still at the experimental stages to date, would be the use of targeted assisted evolution interventions that, for&nbsp;instance, could improve heat tolerance through selective breeding," Dr. Guest said, offering up a glimmer of hope.



By expanding our understanding of coral evolvability and exploring novel techniques, such as assisted evolution interventions, we can unlock innovative solutions to enhance coral resilience.



Increased funding and support for scientific research will enable us to develop new tools, technologies, and strategies that empower us to safeguard coral <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/crown-of-thorns-starfish-thrive-in-degraded-coral-reefs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ecosystems</a> for generations to come.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-urgent-need-for-climate-action">Urgent need for climate action</h2>



In the end, it all circles back to the dire need for immediate climate action. 



“Taken together, the results of our models suggest that genetic adaptation could offset some of the projected loss of coral reef functioning and biodiversity over the 21st&nbsp;Century, if rapid climate action can be achieved,” concluded Dr. Lachs.



Coral reefs - home to an astonishing range of marine life - are pivotal to our marine ecosystems. They are nature's treasure, and losing them would be tantamount to facing cultural and ecological bankruptcy.



The question remains: will we act in time to save coral reefs from climate change? Or will we merely spectate as these reefs slowly fade into extinction?



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adl6480" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



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Coral reefs may not adapt quickly enough to survive climate change

They say the sea has many secrets, but the intriguing...

Imagine&nbsp;being&nbsp;able&nbsp;to&nbsp;add&nbsp;years to your life with just&nbsp;a little&nbsp;bit of&nbsp;physical activity. This&nbsp;is&nbsp;not a&nbsp;pipe dream.



Researchers&nbsp;from&nbsp;Griffith&nbsp;University have conducted&nbsp;a new study that found raising the level of&nbsp;movement may make a significant difference&nbsp;in&nbsp;extending&nbsp;one's&nbsp;lifespan.



The&nbsp;researchers&nbsp;concluded&nbsp;that&nbsp;being as active as the top 25&nbsp;percent&nbsp;of the population could help someone over&nbsp;40&nbsp;live&nbsp;for&nbsp;five extra years. That's&nbsp;equivalent&nbsp;to&nbsp;gaining an extra half-decade&nbsp;just&nbsp;by making movement a regular part of your day.



Whether it's a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/walk-20-minutes-daily-to-boost-your-brain-power/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">daily walk</a>, a cycling routine, or even taking the stairs more often, the path to a longer, healthier life is surprisingly accessible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-physically-active-people-live-longer">Physically active people live longer</h2>



Physical activity has long been known to improve health, but estimates on the specific benefits of different activity levels have varied. 



This recent study used accelerometry - a more precise method than traditional surveys - to track physical activity levels across populations.



The findings? The benefits of physical activity were about twice as robust as previously believed.



According to the study, the most active quarter of individuals had a 73% <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stair-climbing-linked-to-a-24-percent-lower-risk-of-mortality/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lower risk of death</a> compared to their least active counterparts. For the least physically active, even small changes could make a massive difference.



"A single, one-hour walk could potentially return a benefit of around six additional hours of life," said lead researcher Professor Lennert Veerman.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-potential-in-the-least-physically-active-people">Potential in the least physically active people</h2>



Professor Veerman emphasized the opportunity of physical activity - particularly for the least active segment of the population.



"If the least active quartile of the population over age 40 were to increase their activity level to that of the most active quartile, however, they might live, on average, about 11 years longer," he explained.



While those who are already highly active may not see significant additional benefits, for others, the equivalent of just under three hours of walking per day could be transformative.



"This is not an unreasonable prospect, as 25% of the population is already doing it," Veerman noted.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-physical-inactivity-rivals-smoking">Physical inactivity rivals smoking</h2>



The research team suggested that inactivity could rival <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quitting-smoking-at-any-age-brings-big-and-immediate-health-benefits/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">smoking</a> in terms of its health risks.



With other studies finding that each cigarette can take 11 minutes off a smoker’s life, the implications for doing some physical activity are profound.



Dr. Veerman highlighted the underestimated potential of exercise. "If there's something you could do to more than halve your risk of death, physical activity is enormously powerful," he said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-building-a-healthier-future">Building a healthier future</h2>



The findings also highlight the importance of creating environments that encourage movement. 



For example, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/walkable-neighborhoods-help-reduce-cardiovascular-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">walkable neighborhoods</a> and accessible cycling paths could promote activity, reduce healthcare pressures, and improve environmental sustainability.



This study from <a href="https://www.griffith.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Griffith University</a> reinforces the need for governments to revisit national physical activity guidelines.



The message is clear: even modest increases in movement can unlock extraordinary health benefits and transform societal well-being. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-implications-of-physical-activity">Global implications of physical activity</h2>



The benefits of becoming more physically active extend beyond individual health. On a global scale, promoting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/active-aging-physical-activity-has-a-direct-impact-on-life-quality/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">active lifestyles</a> could reduce the burden of chronic diseases, lower healthcare costs, and even combat climate change.



As cities around the world grapple with rising rates of sedentary behavior, the study’s findings offer a powerful incentive to invest in infrastructure that encourages movement.



Studies have shown that active commuters often report better mental health and lower rates of chronic illnesses, making this a win-win for both personal and planetary health.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bringing-movement-into-the-workplace">Bringing movement into the workplace</h2>



This study also shines a light on how workplaces can make a difference. Let’s face it, many of us spend most of our day sitting at a desk - barely moving.



But what if workplaces could encourage healthier habits? Small changes like standing desks, walking meetings, or even rewards for taking the stairs could make a big impact.



Not only would this help employees stay healthier, but it could also make work more enjoyable. 



Studies show that moving more can reduce stress, boost energy levels, and even help with focus.



By creating spaces that make it easier to stay active, companies could help employees feel better and be more productive.



The full study is published in the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39542739/">British Journal of Sports Medicine</a>.



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Becoming more physically active could add 11 years to your life

Imagine&nbsp;being&nbsp;able&nbsp;to&nbsp;add&nbsp;years to your life with just&nbsp;a little&nbsp;bit of&nbsp;physical activity. This&nbsp;is&nbsp;not...

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



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Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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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

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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

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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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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