Consciousness is usually treated as a human problem, tied to brains and behavior. Yet for centuries some thinkers have quietly asked whether experience might reach far beyond our skulls, right down to the building blocks of matter. 



That radical possibility - panpsychism - holds that every bit of the universe possesses a flicker of experience, however faint.



Interest in the idea has surged again as researchers wrestle with the “hard problem of consciousness,” the stubborn mystery of how physical stuff gives rise to subjective feeling. 



If neurons alone cannot <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/conscious-awareness-when-does-our-sense-of-purpose-emerge/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fully explain awareness</a>, might awareness already be lurking everywhere, waiting to be arranged into minds like ours?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-panpsychism-through-the-ages">Panpsychism through the ages</h2>



The question is older than science itself. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thales_of_Miletus" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Thales of Miletus</a>, puzzling over magnets in the 6th century B.C., claimed they must carry a soul because they move iron. 



A generation later, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anaxagoras" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Anaxagoras</a> said that “everything contains a portion of mind,” foreshadowing today’s talk of micro-experiences combining into richer ones. 



Greek Stoics spoke of the universe as a living creature animated by “logos,” the rational breath binding all things. This principle was thought to permeate all matter, giving rise to the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-urgent-plea-sustainable-climate-solutions-save-earth-humanity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">interconnectedness</a> of all things.



<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plotinus" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Plotinus</a> kept the thread alive in late antiquity, arguing that the cosmos emanates from a single living “One.” 



His influence resurfaced in the Renaissance when <a href="https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/bruno/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Giordano Bruno</a> pictured an infinite universe teeming with worlds, each ensouled. 



Such views clashed with the mechanistic models that soon powered modern science, but they never disappeared.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-magnets-to-monads">From magnets to monads</h2>



During the Enlightenment, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%A9_Descartes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">René Descartes</a> sliced mind from matter, pushing consciousness into an immaterial corner. 



Even so, <a href="https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/leibniz/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz</a> answered with “monads,” indivisible units that mirror the entire universe through their own tiny perception. 



By the late 19th century, William James, Gustav Fechner, and Alfred North Whitehead were again arguing that feeling might be woven into nature’s fabric instead of perched on top of it.



Their intuition found fresh urgency once Charles Darwin showed that life, and by extension minds, evolve. If consciousness blooms gradually, perhaps it never strictly begins; perhaps it intensifies as matter organizes itself.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-science-meets-philosophy-today">Science meets philosophy today</h2>



Modern neuroscience attacks the mystery head-on. <a href="https://www.psychiatry.wisc.edu/staff/tononi-giulio/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Giulio Tononi</a> at the University of Wisconsin put forward <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nrn.2016.44" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Integrated Information Theory</a> (IIT) in 2004, claiming that a system’s consciousness equals the amount of integrated information it generates, a value symbolized by “Φ.” 



High Φ signals a richer, more unified experience; low Φ signals a dim one. 



Crucially, IIT treats consciousness as “intrinsic and independent of external observers,” meaning it could arise in any structure - animal brains, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brain-imaging-method-will-unravel-mysteries-of-neural-processes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">artificial networks</a>, or, in principle, a block of silicon - if the informational web is tight enough.



Researchers are now testing IIT’s predictions with brain-stimulation experiments and computer models. 



Some early results suggest that loss of consciousness, as in deep anesthesia, coincides with a sharp drop in measurable integration. The data are tentative, but they push the theory beyond armchair speculation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-inside-information-integration">Inside information integration</h2>



IIT also tries to map the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/meditation-reveals-common-altered-states-of-consciousness/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quality of experience</a>: different shapes of integrated information should correspond to different qualia, the raw feelings of color, taste, or pain. 



That ambition draws praise for its clarity and criticism for its boldness. Skeptics note the difficulty of calculating Φ in real systems and ask whether the math truly captures subjective life. 



Yet the framework has already inspired machine-consciousness tests, raising practical as well as philosophical stakes.



If IIT holds up, panpsychism gains a scientific foothold, because the theory does not limit consciousness to biology. Wherever the right informational architecture appears, experience could spark.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-quantum-puzzles-and-panpsychism">Quantum puzzles and panpsychism</h2>



A more controversial route links mind to quantum mechanics. 



Physicist Roger Penrose and anesthesiologist Stuart Hameroff propose the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1571064513001188" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Orchestrated Objective Reduction</a> (Orch-OR) theory, which places quantum computations inside neuronal microtubules. 



When enough microtubules entangle, they say, an “objective reduction” occurs, collapsing superposed states and producing a moment of awareness shaped by “quantum gravity.”



Many biophysicists argue that brains are too warm and noisy for prolonged quantum coherence and that microtubules are unlikely qubit hosts. 



Supporters counter with new work on room-temperature <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">quantum effects in photosynthesis</a>, suggesting nature might pull off similar tricks elsewhere. 



So far, definitive evidence for Orch-OR is missing, but the debate keeps the link between physics and consciousness on the table.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-does-any-of-this-matter">Why does any of this matter?</h2>



Panpsychism alarms some thinkers who worry that ascribing feeling to atoms cheapens the concept of consciousness. 



The main technical hurdle is the “combination problem”: even if electrons feel a whisper, how do countless whispers merge into the loud voice of human thought? No consensus mechanism exists.



Still, the position refuses to die because it offers a clean way around dualism. If experience is not tacked onto matter but rides with it from the start, the gap between mind and world may shrink. 



Philosophers compare the shift to realizing that heat is <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/no-electron-dancing-allowed-new-molecular-design-rules/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">molecular motion</a> rather than an extra substance called caloric. Whether the analogy holds is an open question, yet it shows why the stakes are high.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-next-for-panpsychism">What's next for panpsychism?</h2>



Future progress will rely on sharper experiments and clearer concepts. Neuroscientists are refining Φ-based metrics, while physicists hunt quantum signatures in biology. 



Philosophers, for their part, are re-examining ancient ideas with modern logic, asking whether panpsychism is a genuine explanation or a verbal sleight of hand.



Wherever the search leads, it forces us to face an unsettling possibility: consciousness might be less a rare jewel than a basic note in the cosmic score. 



If so, the challenge is not to grant minds to stones but to understand how nature composes simple tones into the symphony we call waking life.



-----



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



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



-----

What if everything, from animals to plants to atoms, has consciousness? This theory is gaining momentum

Consciousness is usually treated as a human problem, tied to brains and behavior. Yet for centuries some thinkers have quietly asked whether experience might reach far beyond our skulls, right down to the building blocks of matter. That radical possibility - panpsychism - holds that every bit of the universe possesses a flicker of experience, however faint. Interest in the idea has surged again as researchers wrestle with the “hard problem of consciousness,” the stubborn mystery of how physical stuff gives rise to subjective feeling. If neurons...

The health and climate benefits of cutting methane from fossil fuels are potentially enormous. These benefits are detailed in a new assessment released today by the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the United Nations Environment Programme (<a href="https://www.unep.org/resources/report/imperative-cutting-methane-fossil-fuels-assessment-benefits-climate-and-health">UNEP</a>).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-premature-deaths-nbsp">Premature deaths&nbsp;</h2>



<a href="https://www.ccacoalition.org/resources/imperative-cutting-methane-fossil-fuels">The Imperative of Cutting Methane from Fossil Fuels</a> report states that immediate, targeted methane abatement in the fossil fuel sector could prevent nearly one million premature deaths due to ozone exposure and 90 million tons of crop losses due to ozone and climate changes.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lost-labor">Lost labor</h2>



The researchers add that about 85 billion hours of lost labor due to heat exposure could be avoided by 2050, providing roughly 260 billion dollars in direct economic benefits.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-warming-nbsp">Global warming&nbsp;</h2>



The experts emphasize that rapid cuts in methane emissions from fossil fuels would also help limit global warming in the short term. Methane cuts could avoid up to 0.1 °C in global temperature rise by 2050 - a greater impact than taking all the cars and trucks and trucks off the road - according to the report.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-goals">Climate goals</h2>



The assessment builds on findings from the IEA’s recently updated pathway to limit global warming to 1.5 °C. The experts say that while a drop in fossil fuel demand would cut methane emissions, these reductions by themselves would not occur fast enough to meet the world’s climate goals.



"Reductions in fossil fuel use alone do not achieve deep enough cuts in methane emissions to reach levels consistent with limiting&nbsp;warming to 1.5 °C with no or low overshoot," the experts state in the report.&nbsp;



"Additional, targeted actions to tackle methane emissions from fossil fuel production and use are essential to limit the&nbsp;risk of crossing irreversible climate tipping points."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-methane-emissions-nbsp">Methane emissions&nbsp;</h2>



Methane emissions are responsible for approximately 30% of global warming experienced since the onset of the Industrial Revolution.&nbsp;



This greenhouse gas is predominantly released through fossil fuel operations, which represent the second-largest source of anthropogenic methane emissions.&nbsp;



The most recent estimates suggest that annual global methane emissions are around 580 million tons.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reducing-emissions">Reducing emissions</h2>



The report emphasizes that it is possible to mitigate a significant portion of these emissions using current technology.



"More than 75% of methane emissions from oil and gas operations and half of emissions from coal today can be abated with existing technology, often at low cost."&nbsp;



"The oil and gas sector has the greatest share of ready-to-implement and&nbsp;cost-effective technical opportunities to reduce methane emissions. Cuts in methane emissions from fossil fuel operations will likely need to provide half of the reduction in total methane emissions from human activities needed to 2030 to limit warming to 1.5 °C."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-escalating-crisis">Escalating crisis</h2>



To effectively curb the escalating climate crisis, the report suggests that more focused and deliberate actions are crucial, especially in tackling methane emissions originating from the production and consumption of fossil fuels.&nbsp;



These targeted strategies are not only needed for avoiding irreversible climate tipping points, but are also urgently needed to protect public health.



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



—-



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

Rapid methane cuts could prevent nearly a million premature deaths

The health and climate benefits of cutting methane from fossil...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-reveals-what-killer-whales-like-to-eat/">Killer whales</a>, known for their majestic beauty and power, are apex predators of the oceans. However, even these formidable creatures are not immune to environmental pollutants.&nbsp;



A comprehensive study (the most extensive of its kind) on North Atlantic killer whales was recently published in <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/journal/esthag" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ACS’ Environmental Technology</a> journal, examining the levels of both old and newly emerging pollutants in the blubber of 162 individual whales. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-persistent-organic-pollutants">Persistent organic pollutants</h2>



Interestingly, the contaminant levels and associated health risks were more influenced by the whales’ diet than their geographical location – a discovery that can prove pivotal for conservation strategies.



Killer whales, or orcas, belong to the dolphin family and are found all over the globe. While they face disruptions in their hunting and communication due to marine vessel traffic, another significant threat looms: the persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in their surroundings.&nbsp;



Such pollutants include chlorinated hydrocarbons and flame retardants, which, due to a phenomenon termed biomagnification, tend to accumulate in the fatty tissues of animals higher up in the food chain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-orca-populations-nbsp">Orca populations&nbsp;</h2>



Earlier investigations revealed that orca populations in the Pacific can have alarming levels of POPs in their blubber, leading to potential health concerns such as diminished immunity, hormonal disruptions, and reproductive complications.&nbsp;



However, a knowledge gap persisted regarding North Atlantic orcas. To address this, a team of scientists led by <a href="https://www.mcgill.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">McGill University</a> in Canada set out to determine the contaminants in killer whales ranging from Eastern Canada to Norway.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-research-was-conducted">How the research was conducted</h2>



The team harvested skin and blubber biopsies from over 100 free-roaming killer whales spanning the vast expanse of the North Atlantic Ocean, covering regions from Canada and Greenland to Iceland and Norway.&nbsp;



They dissected half of each biopsy to probe for five categories of POPs, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The remaining sample was employed to discern the animals’ dietary patterns. Their data yielded some striking insights.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-researchers-learned-nbsp">What the researchers learned&nbsp;</h2>



Orcas from the western North Atlantic demonstrated markedly elevated contaminant concentrations compared to their eastern counterparts. This trend defies previously noted POP patterns in other Arctic marine species.



Interestingly, dietary habits rather than geographic positioning accounted for this distribution. Orcas that fed primarily on fish registered the lowest POP concentrations. In contrast, those preying on marine mammals, such as seals or other whales, bore the highest levels.



Particularly alarming was that killer whales with a marine mammal-based diet exhibited PCB levels surpassing the critical threshold, indicating a pronounced risk of reproductive failure in females.



The readings for one particular POP, known as α-HBCDD, surpassed any prior records for marine mammals, notwithstanding its ban a decade prior.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-study-implications-nbsp">Study implications&nbsp;</h2>



The findings highlight the urgency of implementing stringent waste management practices to hinder contaminants from seeping into marine food webs, thereby impacting apex predators.&nbsp;



The outcomes of this study stress the need of a call to action for safeguarding North Atlantic killer whales and their habitats.



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



—-



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

Killer whales’ dietary preferences expose them to pollutants

Killer whales, known for their majestic beauty and power, are...

Stick,Insect,Or,Phasmids,(phasmatodea,Or,Phasmatoptera),Also,Known,As

In the diverse world of entomology, stick insects stand out for a peculiar reason -- their apparent ability to span vast distances despite being flightless. Their widespread presence across geographical barriers that would be daunting for most flightless species has long been a conundrum. 



However, a new study led by <a href="https://www.kobe-u.ac.jp/en/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kobe University</a> has shed light on this puzzle, pointing to a surprising ally in their dispersal: birds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-stick-insect-dispersal-enigma">The stick insect dispersal enigma</h2>



The majority of stick insect species lack wings, making their extensive distribution across various terrains seem perplexing. This anomaly led to the hypothesis that their eggs might be dispersed by birds, mirroring the method many plants utilize. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Birds-disperse-eggs-of-stick-insects-they-eat_Credit-Kobe-University_1medium.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The concept is simple</a>: birds consume fruits, and the seeds within pass through their digestive systems, emerging unharmed and often at great distances from their origin.



In an experimental setting, studies focusing on Ramulus mikado, a common Japanese stick insect, confirmed that such a dispersal mechanism could indeed be possible. Yet, without any direct observation in the wild, doubt lingered about its real-world applicability.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-evidence-from-stick-insects">Genetic evidence from stick insects</h2>



To address this gap, biologist Suetsugu Kenji from Kobe University and his team embarked on an ambitious project. They analyzed genetic patterns in Ramulus mikado populations, leveraging the principle of "genetic isolation by geographic distance." 



This theory posits that in species with limited mobility, genetic mutations accumulate over time, leading to a correlation between genetic differentiation and geographical distance.



Their findings, published in the <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2023.1708" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</a>, were astonishing. While many genes showed predictable differences based on geographic distance, a select few exhibited close relations despite being separated by vast distances and formidable geographical barriers.



Kenji Suetsugu, the lead author, remarked, “Amidst a sea of limited active dispersal, we discovered identical genotypes jumping across vast distances, strongly indicating the past occurrence of passive long-distance genetic dispersal.” This discovery implies that these flightless insects may have, indirectly, taken to the skies through avian digestive systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unique-reproductive-mechanism">Unique reproductive mechanism</h2>



This begs the question: why is such a dispersal mechanism not more prevalent among other insects? The answer lies in the unique reproductive nature of some stick insect species. 



Most insect eggs are fertilized shortly before they are laid. However, certain stick insect species exhibit parthenogenesis, allowing females to produce viable eggs without fertilization. This reproductive peculiarity ensures the survival of stick insect offspring even when they embark on such perilous journeys.



Ironically, stick insects have earned their name due to their primary survival strategy: blending in with their environment to avoid predators. This is starkly different from plants that rely on their seeds being consumed and dispersed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-and-future-research">Implications and future research</h2>



The ramifications of this study extend beyond the life cycle of stick insects. Kenji Suetsugu emphasizes the broader significance of their findings, stating, "This result invites researchers to delve deeper into the mechanisms of dispersal in various species and challenge long-held assumptions about the fate of organisms devoured by predators."



This intriguing research underscores the intricate and often unexpected relationships that govern the natural world. As scientists continue to unravel these complexities, we are reminded of nature's ingenuity and resilience in the face of challenges.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-about-stick-insects">More about stick insects</h2>



Stick insects, often referred to as walking sticks, are nature's true masters of camouflage. Belonging to the Phasmatodea order, these insects stand out for their remarkable ability to blend seamlessly into their surroundings.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-habitat">Habitat</h3>



Native to various parts of the world, stick insects primarily inhabit tropical and subtropical rainforests. However, some species thrive in temperate regions as well. They owe their name to their uncanny resemblance to twigs, branches, or leaves, a disguise they expertly employ to evade predators.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-diet">Diet</h3>



Most stick insects showcase a predominantly herbivorous diet. They feed on leaves, favoring particular plants depending on the species. Their feeding habits often lead them to play vital roles in controlling vegetation and contributing to their ecosystem's health.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reproduction">Reproduction</h3>



One of the most intriguing aspects of stick insects is their reproductive versatility. While many species mate conventionally, some exhibit a unique phenomenon called parthenogenesis. In this process, females produce viable eggs without needing to mate with males, allowing rapid reproduction when necessary.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-defense-mechanisms">Defense mechanisms</h3>



In defense, besides camouflage, stick insects employ other tactics. When threatened, some species play dead, dropping to the ground and remaining motionless. Others might release a foul-smelling substance or make hissing sounds by rubbing their body parts together.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-kept-as-pets">Kept as pets</h3>



For those keen on keeping exotic pets, stick insects make an interesting choice. They require a relatively simple habitat setup, often just a ventilated cage with appropriate foliage and regular misting. Their docile nature and easy care make them ideal for enthusiasts of all ages.



In summary, stick insects are a captivating group of creatures. Their unparalleled camouflage abilities, diverse habitats, and unique reproductive strategies make them an endless source of fascination for both scientists and nature enthusiasts alike.



---



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



---



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-ralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and <a href="https://www.earth.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth.com</a>.

How do flightless stick insects spread their populations over vast regions?

In the diverse world of entomology, stick insects stand out...

The first trip to the moon in over fifty years is imminent, all thanks to NASA's <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Artemis Program</a>. There are also plans to set up a base on the moon by the 2030s. If everything goes to plan, wouldn't it be necessary to have a means of movement within the lunar surface? Well, Toyota hopes to resolve this with its Lunar Cruiser.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-toyota-s-futuristic-moon-ride">Toyota's futuristic moon ride</h2>



In a move that could revolutionize how astronauts navigate the moon's surface, Toyota proposes a futuristic electric SUV. The Baby Lunar Cruiser is an upgrade to the moon buggies that dominated the 1970s.



This advanced SUV has a sleek and functional design, similar to what is seen in most modern vehicles. However, it is equipped with several advanced features suited for use beyond Earth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-notable-features">Notable features</h2>



The most outstanding feature of the Baby Lunar Cruiser is its augmented reality-powered dashboard. There is also a panoramic view and a suite of sensors and cameras that warn the riders of rough terrains and potholes ahead.



Also worthy of mention are the airless tires that eliminate any chance of puncturing, and in-wheel electric motors that would be controlled using joysticks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-design-inspiration">Design inspiration</h2>



The biggest inspiration for the Baby Lunar Cruiser design came from Toyota's original FJ40 Land Cruiser and the original Lunar Cruiser, which is currently being built by both Toyota and the<a href="https://global.jaxa.jp/about/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).</a>



JAXA and Toyota expect the six-wheel, self-driving rover to be ready to land on the moon in 2029. The design is based on the idea that people eat, work, sleep, and communicate with others safely in cars, and the same can be done in outer space.



The rover will include space for two people to live and work for about 14 days, with Toyota's fuel cell technology supplying all the required power.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-baby-lunar-cruiser-nbsp">Baby Lunar Cruiser&nbsp;</h2>



However, unlike the rover, the <a href="https://pressroom.toyota.com/calty-design-research-celebrates-50-years-of-toyota-innovation-and-creativity-in-the-u-s/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Baby Lunar Cruiser</a> comes with a split tailgate design at the rear. Its adjustable spaceframe seats promise premium interior flexibility and comfort for even the longest trips. There is also a rear seat that allows it to accommodate more passengers.



The concept of the Baby Lunar Cruiser came from CALTY Design Research, the American outpost of the automobile company's global design network. The company recently celebrated 50 Years of Toyota Innovation and Creativity in the United States.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-classic-meets-advanced-nbsp">Classic meets advanced&nbsp;</h2>



In terms of the design, the company combines classic insights from the original FJ40 cruiser with new technology. For instance, both models have white-painted roofs to cool the cabin.&nbsp;



This could be crucial for the Baby Land Cruiser, considering the high temperatures on the moon: up to 121°C (250°F) in the sun and -128°C (-200°F) in the shade.



It remains to be seen whether Toyota will implement some of the advanced tech in the CALTY design concept in its future vehicles, particularly those made for off-the-road applications.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mission-dearmoon-nbsp">Mission dearMoon&nbsp;</h2>



CALTY's design couldn't have come at a better time, as Japan is becoming increasingly interested in the moon and what is in its core.&nbsp;



Earlier this year, Japanese start-up venture iSpace suffered a setback on its quest to land on the moon when its lunar lander crashed.



Japanese fashion mogul and businessman Yusaka Maezawa has booked a trip around the moon with SpaceX's Starship later this year. He calls it "mission dearMoon" and hopes to have eight more people aboard.



Japan strives to become the fifth country to successfully land on the moon after the United States, the former Soviet Union, China, and India.



---



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



---



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-ralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and <a href="https://www.earth.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth.com</a>.

Toyota Baby Lunar Cruiser could drive astronauts across the moon

The first trip to the moon in over fifty years...

The genetic blueprint of modern humans is an amalgamation of ancestral ties, encompassing contributions from various ancient populations. Among the most intriguing revelations from genetic research has been the discovery of the extent to which <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neanderthal-genes-still-influence-modern-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Neanderthals</a> have influenced the genetics of contemporary Homo sapiens. New research co-headed by researchers from <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University College London</a> (UCL) has thrown new light on this intricate web of genetic connections, specifically focusing on the sensitivity to certain types of pain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-pain-sensitivity">Studying pain sensitivity</h2>



The study unveils the influence of three Neanderthal-derived variants in the SCN9A gene, which is crucially involved in sensory neurons. These variants make carriers more sensitive to the sensation of pain following skin pricking after exposure to mustard oil.



Historically, three variations in the SCN9A gene, labeled M932L, V991L, and D1908G, have been identified in the sequenced genomes of Neanderthals. Past studies have documented heightened pain sensitivity in humans who possess all three of these variants. Yet, until this study, the precise sensory responses influenced by these gene variations remained shrouded in mystery.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-methodology-and-findings">Methodology and findings</h2>



The research collaboration comprised teams from UCL, Aix-Marseille University, University of Toulouse, Open University, Fudan University, Oxford University, and was part-sponsored by Wellcome. Their primary method involved evaluating the pain thresholds of 1,963 participants from Colombia using varied stimuli.



The SCN9A gene encodes a sodium channel, prominently expressed in sensory neurons, that interprets signals from injured tissues. The study identified the D1908G variant in approximately 20% of chromosomes within the Colombian cohort. Remarkably, about 30% of the chromosomes with the D1908G variant also carried the other two (M932L and V991L) variants.



Key findings of the research indicated:



<ul>
<li>The trio of variants was tied to reduced pain thresholds when exposed to skin pricking post mustard oil exposure. </li>



<li>This reduced pain threshold was absent in response to heat or pressure stimuli. </li>



<li>The collective possession of all three variants heightened pain sensitivity compared to the possession of just one.</li>
</ul>



Furthermore, the study's expansive genetic data analysis of 5,971 individuals from regions across South America revealed a higher prevalence of these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-provides-insights-into-the-lives-of-neanderthals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Neanderthal</a> variants in populations with a significant proportion of Native American lineage.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-theoretical-implications">Theoretical implications</h2>



The authors propose that these Neanderthal-derived gene variants might amplify the sensitivity of sensory neurons by tweaking the nerve impulse generation threshold. Intriguingly, the team hypothesizes that such variants might be predominant in populations with pronounced Native American ancestry due to chance occurrences and genetic bottlenecks during the initial human settlement of the Americas.



It's crucial to consider the evolutionary advantages or disadvantages of these variants. While short-lived, intense pain can guide behavior, steering individuals away from further injury, it remains a mystery whether higher pain sensitivity offered any evolutionary benefit.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pain-sensitivity-as-a-survival-trait">Pain sensitivity as a survival trait</h2>



Dr. Kaustubh Adhikari, co-corresponding author from UCL Genetics, Evolution &amp; Environment and The Open University, had earlier highlighted how Neanderthals have impacted the shape of the modern human nose. Commenting on the study, Dr. Adhikari remarked, "Pain sensitivity, a paramount survival trait, allows us to eschew harmful stimuli. The data suggests Neanderthals might have been more attuned to specific pain types. Further exploration is needed to grasp its evolutionary implications."



Dr. Pierre Faux from Aix-Marseille University and <a href="https://en.univ-toulouse.fr/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Toulouse</a>, the study's first author, emphasized the multifaceted nature of pain perception, which is influenced by a plethora of factors, ranging from genetics to environmental conditions.



As humanity endeavors to understand its complex genetic past, the revelation of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-and-neanderthals-may-have-co-existed-for-many-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Neanderthal contributions</a> to pain sensitivity offers a fascinating glimpse into our shared history. Further research in this direction can unlock more secrets about the role of these ancient genes in the fabric of modern human evolution.



The full study was published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-023-05286-z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Communications Biology</a>.



---



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



---



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-ralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and <a href="https://www.earth.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth.com</a>.

If you feel more pain sensitivity than others, blame your Neanderthal genes

The genetic blueprint of modern humans is an amalgamation of...

New research unveiled at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venerology (<a href="https://www.eadv.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EADV</a>) Congress 2023 has brought forth a surprising revelation. Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is now responsible for a higher number of global deaths compared to melanoma, despite melanoma being regarded as the more severe form of skin cancer. 



The data, collected from the World Health Organization <a href="https://www.iarc.who.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">International Agency for Research on Cancer</a>, further implies that the true impact of NMSC might be even graver than previously thought, as the condition often goes underreported.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-cases-equals-more-deaths">More cases equals more deaths</h2>



Professor Thierry Passeron, who spearheaded the research, shared, “Although NMSC is less likely to be fatal than melanoma skin cancer, its prevalence is strikingly higher. In 2020, NMSC accounted for 78% of all skin cancer cases, resulting in over 63,700 deaths. In contrast, melanoma caused an estimated 57,000 fatalities in the same year.” 



This illustrates that despite the lesser individual fatality rate of NMSC compared to melanoma, the sheer number of NMSC cases contributes to a greater overall death toll.



Delving deeper into the figures, Professor Passeron cautioned that these numbers might only be the tip of the iceberg. “As alarming as these figures are, they may, in fact, be underestimated. NMSC is often underreported in cancer registries, making it challenging to understand the true burden.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-skin-cancer-demographics">Skin cancer demographics</h2>



In their comprehensive study, the researchers also pinpointed specific demographics that appeared more vulnerable to NMSC. These include outdoor workers exposed to the sun for prolonged periods, organ transplant recipients, and individuals diagnosed with xeroderma pigmentosum—a genetic disorder characterized by extreme sensitivity to sunlight.



Skin cancer’s reach is not limited by geographical or ethnic boundaries. While a significant incidence was found among fair-skinned and elderly populations in countries like the USA, Germany, UK, France, Australia, and Italy, countries with a predominantly darker-skinned populace are not spared. Evidence for this is the 11,281 recorded skin cancer deaths in Africa.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-non-melanoma-skin-cancer-nmsc">Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC)</h2>



In 2020 alone, a staggering 1.2 million cases of NMSC were reported globally, in contrast to the 324,635 cases of melanoma. It's important to highlight that most skin cancer diagnoses are non-melanoma. 



These cancers typically manifest in the skin's upper layers and are broadly categorized into types such as basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Compared to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/golfers-have-more-than-double-the-risk-of-skin-cancer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">melanoma</a> -- which originates in melanocytes, the pigment-producing cells -- NMSC is less aggressive, as it is less likely to metastasize to other body parts and can often be treated more effectively.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-effective-messaging-needed">More effective messaging needed</h2>



Professor Passeron comments, “We have to get the message out that not only melanoma can be fatal, but NMSC also. It's crucial to note that individuals with melanin rich skin are also at risk and are dying from skin cancer. There is a need to implement effective strategies to reduce the fatalities associated with all kinds of skin cancers.”



“Our study did not find consistent evidence to suggest that having more dermatologists per capita could reduce mortality rates. Surprisingly, countries like Australia, the UK and Canada, with fewer dermatologists, exhibited low mortality-to-incidence ratios. We therefore need to explore what strategies these countries are employing to reduce the impact of skin cancer in further depth. The involvement of other healthcare practitioners, such as GPs, in the identification and management of this disease may partly explain their success. There remains huge opportunity worldwide to elevate the role of GPs and other healthcare professionals in this process and train them to recognise suspicious lesions early.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-skin-cancers-are-preventable">Skin cancers are preventable</h2>



“In alignment with this, there is an ongoing need to develop awareness campaigns that educate the general public about the risks of sun exposure and other relevant risk factors. These campaigns should be tailored to at-risk populations, including those with fair skin, outdoor workers, the elderly and individuals who are immunosuppressed. Importantly, these efforts should also extend to populations that may not typically be considered at high risk, such as darker-skinned populations.”



Professor Passeron concludes, “Skin cancers are preventable and treatable, so we need to do more to ensure we are stopping the progression of this disease as early as possible to save lives.”



In light of these findings, it is crucial for global health organizations and governments to recognize the extensive reach and impact of NMSC, ensuring that preventative measures, accurate reporting, and effective treatments are prioritized.



---



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



---



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-ralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and <a href="https://www.earth.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth.com</a>.

Melanoma has been replaced as the deadliest form of skin cancer

New research unveiled at the European Academy of Dermatology and...

In the largest study ever conducted on the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mental-health-crisis-half-of-the-worlds-population-will-be-affected-by-age-75/">mental health</a> impacts of light exposure, researchers have found that artificial light elevates the risk for psychiatric disorders.



The investigation involved nearly 87,000 participants and was led by Professor Sean Cain of the <a href="https://www.monash.edu/medicine/psych" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Monash School of Psychological Sciences</a>.&nbsp;



"Circadian rhythm disturbance is a common feature of many psychiatric disorders. Light is the primary input to the circadian clock, with daytime light strengthening rhythms and night-time light disrupting them," wrote the study authors.



"Therefore, habitual light exposure may represent an environmental risk factor for susceptibility to psychiatric disorders."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-artificial-light-exposure">Artificial light exposure</h2>



The comprehensive research demonstrates that artificial light exposure, particularly at night, is linked with a greater chance of conditions such as anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and an increased risk of self-harm.&nbsp;



The study also revealed a 30% increase in the risk of depression for individuals with high nighttime light exposure.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-daytime-light-exposure-nbsp">Daytime light exposure&nbsp;</h2>



Conversely, the study also sheds light on the positive effects of substantial daytime light exposure.&nbsp;



The findings suggest that ample daylight exposure can reduce the risk of depression by 20 percent, and is also associated with a diminished risk of other mental health issues.&nbsp;



In other words, exposure to daylight is a simple, non-medicinal way to help protect yourself from mental health challenges.&nbsp;



“Our findings will have a potentially huge societal impact,” said Professor Cain. “Once people understand that their light exposure patterns have a powerful influence on their mental health, they can take some simple steps to optimize their wellbeing. It’s about getting bright light in the day and darkness at night.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-focus-of-the-study">Focus of the study</h2>



The research was focused on 86,772 participants from the UK Biobank.&nbsp;



Among the data collected from these individuals, the experts analyzed their exposure to light, sleep patterns, levels of physical activity, and mental health status.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-consistent-impacts">Consistent impacts</h2>



It is crucial to note that the observed impact of nighttime light exposure on mental health remained consistent across various demographics and was not influenced by physical activity levels, season, or employment status.&nbsp;



“Our findings were consistent when accounting for shiftwork, sleep, urban versus rural living and cardio-metabolic health."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-modern-lifestyles">Modern lifestyles</h2>



Professor Cain pointed out the disjunction between modern human lifestyles and our biological systems, suggesting that contemporary living conditions might be detrimental to our mental health.&nbsp;



He noted that human brains evolved under conditions of bright daylight exposure followed by almost complete darkness at night.



“Humans today challenge this biology, spending around 90 percent of the day indoors under electric lighting which is too dim during the day and too bright at night compared to natural light and dark cycles. It is confusing our bodies and making us unwell."



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s44220-023-00135-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Mental Health</a>.



---



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



---



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-ralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and <a href="https://www.earth.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth.com</a>.

Artificial light exposure is extremely harmful to our mental health

In the largest study ever conducted on the mental health...

A team of researchers including extreme sports enthusiast Ciara Burns embarked on a 42-day Atlantic rowing adventure in 2021 with a team of twelve. The goal of the expedition was to explore the connection between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mental-fatigue-impairs-athletic-performance/">physical exertion</a> and mental strain under extreme conditions.



"Unassisted rowing across the Atlantic Ocean is an extreme undertaking challenging the human body in every possible way. The reported rowing journey lasted for 42 days in a small vessel with 12 rowers, each rowing for 12 hours a day, broken into 3 hour shifts," wrote the researchers.&nbsp;



"This schedule disrupts the natural circadian cycle and autonomic balance, affecting subjective and objective wellbeing and sleep quality, that lack continuous empirical quantification."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-biomedical-sensing-nbsp">Biomedical sensing&nbsp;</h2>



Over the course of the expedition, Burns recorded her heart rate variations with specialized sensors and documenting her subjective well-being.&nbsp;



Professor Eugenijus Kaniusas heads the Biomedical Sensing and Therapy research group at <a href="https://www.tuwien.at/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TU Wien</a> and provided scientific support for the project.&nbsp;



"You can derive a lot of interesting findings from the heart rate recordings," said Professor Kaniusas. "The variability of the heart rate is particularly important for us. From it, you can infer the general state of fitness, sleep quality and how well someone can regenerate during sleep."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strenuous-routine-nbsp">Strenuous routine&nbsp;</h2>



However, Burns and her team adopted an unconventional sleep routine throughout their Atlantic endeavor, with members alternating between three hours of rowing and three hours of rest around the clock.&nbsp;



Burns highlighted three strenuous phases within this regime: the initial adjustment period, the mid-journey realization of the immense distance remaining, and the tantalizing final stretch where the destination was in sight but not yet reachable.&nbsp;



These periods corresponded with measurable dips in sleep quality, emphasizing the strong link between psychological states and physiological parameters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protective-mode-nbsp">Protective mode&nbsp;</h2>



In addition to these observations, data revealed a progressive decline in the body’s ability to toggle efficiently between sleep and wakefulness as the journey unfolded.&nbsp;



Despite this, the body seemed to instinctively adopt protective measures to prevent heart overload.



"At the same time, the body seems to enter a kind of protective mode to protect the heart from overload," explained Professor Kaniusas. "The average heartbeat slows down, and the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system, which plays an important role in controlling the internal organs, increases."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-study-significance-nbsp">Study significance&nbsp;</h2>



Studies like this are rare, and collecting scientific data amid the challenging oceanic conditions makes them even more unprecedented.&nbsp;



"Ciara Burns has done highly precise work here with unprecedented dedication," said Kaniusas. "The project was also reviewed by the ethics committee of TU Wien and supported in an exemplary way."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-study-implications-nbsp">Study implications&nbsp;</h2>



Following rigorous analysis of the gathered data, the researchers suggest future extreme athletes might benefit from a gradual transition into intensive rhythms instead of abrupt changes.&nbsp;



In addition, introducing rewards or enjoyable activities at the mid-point of similar extreme endeavors might provide much-needed morale boosts for participants bracing for the journey's second half.



"Maybe some special, enjoyable activity that lets you celebrate that you're halfway through the effort and comfort yourself over the realization that there is still a long way to go," said Professor Kaniusas.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2023.1244438" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Physiology</a>.&nbsp;



---



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



---



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-ralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and <a href="https://www.earth.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth.com</a>.

What happens to the body and mind during extreme sports?

A team of researchers including extreme sports enthusiast Ciara Burns...

Modern,Weather,Space,Satellite,Monitoring,Earth,From,Orbit.,3d,Rendering

Africa's Copperbelt, spanning Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, is no stranger to the world of mineral extraction. This region alone generated an impressive 73% of the global cobalt supply in 2022, as reported by the Cobalt Institute. 



This intense mining activity, driven in part by the increasing demand for lithium-ion batteries, which are a mainstay in modern electric vehicles, laptops, and smartphones, has raised concerns about the environmental and health impacts on nearby communities.



A recent study by the <a href="https://ncar.ucar.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Center for Atmospheric Research</a> (NCAR) offers a new way to monitor these impacts remotely. This research reveals that satellites can detect and quantify the emissions from mining operations in this region.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mining-satellite-data-for-emissions">Mining satellite data for emissions</h2>



The Copperbelt's mining surge presents challenges in monitoring. Ground-based monitoring in the region is sporadic, and reports from mine operators are often inconsistent, if not entirely missing. This backdrop set the stage for NCAR's research, aimed at identifying an alternative way to gauge the mining industry's ecological footprint.



Leveraging data from the <a href="https://www.tropomi.eu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument</a> (TROPOMI) aboard the European Space Agency's Copernicus Sentinel-5 Precursor satellite (S-5P), researchers honed in on nitrogen dioxide emissions, a primary component of smog. 



Nitrogen dioxide is generated from various sources, including biomass burning, urban activities, and certain natural processes. However, a significant proportion in the Copperbelt comes from the burning of diesel fuel, a mainstay in copper and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/underwater-upheaval-the-ecological-impact-of-deep-sea-mining/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cobalt mining</a> operations.



The satellite data showed distinct patterns of emissions corresponding to individual copper and cobalt mines. Interestingly, these emission levels had a strong correlation with the annual <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/23-million-people-are-exposed-to-toxic-waste-from-mining-activities/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">metal production of the mines</a>, validating the satellite's accuracy in monitoring activities on the ground.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-and-applications">Implications and applications</h2>



The potential implications of this research extend beyond the Copperbelt. "Mining operations can profoundly impact the quality of life for adjacent communities," explains Pieternel Levelt, the senior author of the paper. 



Using satellite technology to monitor such regions can yield insights into the environmental consequences of mining and also serve as a tool for estimating the growth of such activities in remote regions, which might otherwise be underreported or unmonitored.



In the context of the Copperbelt, understanding emissions is crucial, especially given the proximity of mining activities to populated centers. As NCAR scientist and study lead author Sara Martínez-Alonso notes, the satellite observations enabled researchers to not only quantify emissions but also put them in context for the affected regions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-of-monitoring-emissions-from-satellites">Future of monitoring emissions from satellites</h2>



While the S-5P satellite's once-a-day pass over the Copperbelt provided invaluable data, more comprehensive monitoring is possible. A geostationary satellite, which remains fixed over a specific location, could offer hourly updates on emission levels, thereby painting a much clearer picture of pollution patterns and sources.



Currently, such satellites do not cover Africa or any other region in the global South. Yet, the implementation of such satellites could revolutionize air quality forecasting and provide vital information to local regulatory agencies, according to Levelt.



The intersection of technology and environmental monitoring is proving to be a potent tool in the quest to understand and mitigate the impacts of human activities on the planet. As the global demand for resources like cobalt continues to rise, utilizing advanced methods like satellite monitoring becomes not just advantageous, but imperative. 



The findings from NCAR's research in Africa's Copperbelt serve as a testament to the possibilities that lie ahead in environmental stewardship and sustainable growth.



The full study was published in <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/acf82e" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geophysical Research Letters</a>, a journal of the American Geophysical Union.



---



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



---



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-ralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and <a href="https://www.earth.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth.com</a>.

Monitoring mining emissions with satellites: New era of remote environmental surveillance

Africa's Copperbelt, spanning Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo,...

Global water security is under threat due to a combination of extreme weather events and increased demand from booming populations. A recent study from the <a href="https://www.uu.nl/en/home-en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Utrecht University</a> has investigated the relationship between water use by various sectors and the prevalence of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-has-made-droughts-20-times-more-likely/">droughts</a> and heatwaves.



"Water use for various sectors (e.g. irrigation, livestock, domestic, energy and manufacturing) is increasing due to a growing global population and economic development," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;



"Additionally, increases in frequency and severity of droughts, heatwaves and compound drought-heatwave events, also lead to responses in sectoral water use and a reduction in water availability, intensifying water scarcity. However, limited knowledge exists on the responses in sectoral water use during these hydroclimatic extremes."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-water-use-under-extreme-conditions">Water use under extreme conditions</h2>



The research stands out as the first-ever global investigation focused on the complex issue of water use under extreme conditions.



Study lead author Gabriel Cardenas Belleza defines "sectoral water use responses" as the modifications or stability in water consumption practices by different sectors under the influence of droughts, heatwaves, or a combination of these extreme events.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-water-security">Studying water security</h2>



The comprehensive analysis was focused on sectoral water use data from the last three decades, including usage at global, national, and local scales.



“We focused on the water used by various sectors, namely irrigation, livestock, domestic, energy and manufacturing, because we expected particular responses to the occurrence of different extreme events, ” explained Belleza.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-observations">Crucial observations</h2>



The study revealed that extreme weather events have substantially altered water consumption habits worldwide over the last thirty years. However, these alterations are not uniform across sectors or regions.



“Socio-economic factors and public water management plans strongly influence water use responses, and even more so during extreme events. For instance, while Western continental United States decreases its water use during extremes, the central US increases it," said Belleza.



Among the sectors analyzed, the domestic and irrigation sectors often get prioritized when it comes to water utilization. However, the findings indicate a shift in favor of the domestic sector when water usage is restricted during extreme events.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-compound-weather-events">Compound weather events</h2>



Heatwaves and combined drought-<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/once-in-a-century-heatwave-may-soon-happen-every-other-year/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heatwave events</a> were found to exert a greater influence on water consumption than droughts alone.



“Heatwaves and compound events can lead to higher water use as a consequence of the temporary increase in water demand under high temperatures, which can still be satisfied due to the short duration of such extremes, compared to longer-lasting events like droughts," said Belleza.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-study-implications-nbsp">Study implications&nbsp;</h2>



The study sheds light on the relationship between extreme weather patterns and global water consumption practices.&nbsp;



The researchers noted that given the future threats to water availability and the limited accessible information of water use, there is an urgency to collect more data of sectoral water use for improved assessments of water scarcity under these extremes.



“Our research provides a first step to evaluate multi-sectoral water use behavior during extremes," said Belleza. "However, more local-scale information from data-scarce areas, like Africa and parts of Asia and South America, is needed to better understand sectoral water use behavior and improve water management strategies."



The research is published in the respected journal <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/acf82e" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Environmental Research Letters</a>.



---



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



---



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-ralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and <a href="https://www.earth.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth.com</a>.

Is the Earth running out of water? Global water security is complicated

Global water security is under threat due to a combination...

The cataclysmic event that occurred 66 million years ago, when an asteroid struck the Earth, is infamous for leading to the demise of the dinosaurs. But what is perhaps less known is that this mass extinction event also marked the rise of a new class of mammals, our own distant relatives. 



The last mass extinction set the stage for the dominance of mammals on Earth. However, the commonly held beliefs about which types of mammals survived these challenging times are being rewritten.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-survival-of-the-unspecialized">Survival of the unspecialized</h2>



For many years, the widely accepted theory among scientists was that mammals and their kin, which persevered through hard times like the mass extinctions, were generalists. In layman’s terms, these creatures could eat a variety of foods and adapt to diverse living conditions. 



This theory, known as the "survival of the unspecialized", has been prevalent since the 1800s. However, a new study delving into the family tree of mammals through several mass extinctions suggests that this might not be the complete picture.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-traits-of-mammals-that-survive-mass-extinctions">Traits of mammals that survive mass extinctions</h2>



Ken Angielczyk, the MacArthur Curator of Paleomammalogy at the <a href="https://www.fieldmuseum.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Field Museum</a> and the senior author of this revolutionary study, challenges the old paradigm. 



He explains, “The conventional wisdom is that generalized animals are the least likely to go extinct. But we found that the ones that survived more often only seemed generalized in hindsight, when compared with their later descendants.” 



These survivors, he points out, were fairly sophisticated for their era, possessing traits that not only aided their survival but also gave them an evolutionary edge.



This shattering of conventional wisdom comes as a result of rigorous research. Spencer Hellert, an Assistant Professor at <a href="https://www.colum.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Columbia College Chicago</a> and a co-lead author of the study, paints a clearer picture of the preconceived notions. 



“What’s been thought previously is that every time a new group of mammals evolves, you start out with a small generalist animal,” he explains. He contrasts this with the case of a panda bear, a specialist which primarily feeds on bamboo, suggesting that such specialists were not the typical survivors of mass extinctions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-study-was-conducted">How the study was conducted</h2>



The research undertaking was monumental. Hellert curated one of the most comprehensive family trees of synapsids – a group which encompasses all mammals and their extinct kin. This meticulous family tree, which encompasses numerous fossil records, was designed to summarize and amalgamate previous family trees in a more systematic manner. As Angielczyk pointed out, a colossal family tree was integral for testing their hypotheses.



David Grossnickle, another co-lead author and an Assistant Professor at the <a href="https://www.oit.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oregon Institute of Technology</a>, earlier highlighted that small, insect-eating mammals were the ones often surviving challenging epochs. This current study was an attempt to check if such trends persisted among ancestral mammals.



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



However, the discoveries were astounding. The team, which included co-authors Graeme Lloyd and Christian Kammerer, found that synapsid evolution was not merely a story of "survival of the small and unspecialized". At various junctures, it was the larger synapsids that prevailed, and they <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/incredible-discovery-some-mammals-attacked-dinosaurs-and-they-often-won-the-battle/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">weren’t confined to insect-eating</a>.



Grossnickle elucidates on the surprise: “We were pretty surprised— it’s pretty well-established that those mammal radiations go from these small insectivores into the bigger taxa repeatedly.” This pattern, however, began to vanish as the researchers delved deeper into synapsid history.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mammals-that-survived-the-dinosaur-mass-extinction">Mammals that survived the dinosaur mass extinction</h2>



A closer examination of the survivors showcased that these animals were more specialized than previously believed. A pertinent example lies in the dental adaptations of many <a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Thrinaxodon_mammal_Credit-April-Neander_1medium.png" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mammals from the dinosaur era</a>. 



While most had teeth suited for tearing into prey, a select few possessed a more evolved tooth structure reminiscent of a mortar and pestle. This nuanced tooth design could have been crucial during times of scarce food, allowing these mammals to consume a diverse array of foods.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mass-extinction-survivors-aren-t-generic">Mass extinction survivors aren't generic</h2>



The study's findings bring to light that the survivors of mass extinctions may not always be generic or unspecialized creatures. Grossnickle concludes, “You often need an extinction event like the one that killed the dinosaurs to knock out some of those older groups, and then it allows those <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-ancestors-coexisted-with-dinosaurs-yes-according-to-shocking-new-research/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fancier animals</a> to persist and diversify.”



The broader implications of this study shed light on our understanding of evolution. As Angielczyk aptly summarizes, "The fact that we see this complexity in the diversifications of mammals and their ancient relatives means we need to examine other groups to see if the situation in mammals is an exception, or business as usual."



In essence, this study not only challenges long-held beliefs but also paves the way for fresh inquiries into the annals of evolution. And as with all groundbreaking research, it leaves us with more questions than answers, pushing the boundaries of our knowledge and understanding.



---



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



---



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-ralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and <a href="https://www.earth.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth.com</a>.

Mammals that survive mass extinctions aren’t always boring

The cataclysmic event that occurred 66 million years ago, when...

Artificial,Intelligence.,Modern,Cybernetic,Robot,Man,Touching,Modern,Solar,Battery

With advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) offering potential improvements across various sectors from coding to driving, there is also an increasing concern regarding its environmental impact and the amount of energy consumed by AI applications.



In a recent commentary published in the <a href="https://www.cell.com/joule/fulltext/S2542-4351(23)00365-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">journal Joule</a>, Alex de Vries, the founder of <a href="https://twitter.com/DigiEconomist" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Digiconomist</a>, shed light on the significant energy footprint of widespread AI adoption, which could potentially surpass the power demands of entire nations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-energy-used-to-train-ai-services">Energy used to train AI services</h2>



The commentary underscores the startling revelation that the surge in demand for artificial intelligence services might result in a noteworthy escalation in energy consumption. Alex de Vries, also a Ph.D. candidate at <a href="https://vu.nl/nl" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam</a>, mentioned, “Looking at the growing demand for AI service, it’s very likely that energy consumption related to AI will significantly increase in the coming years.”



The past year has witnessed a rapid surge in the popularity and application of generative AI. These are tools capable of generating varied forms of data, be it text or images. OpenAI’s ChatGPT is a notable example of such advancements. 



However, the training phase for these tools, which involves processing vast amounts of data, is exceptionally <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-environmental-cost-of-ai-what-are-we-willing-to-give-up-for-computing-power/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">energy-intensive</a>. An illustration of this is Hugging Face's revelation. The New York-based AI firm reported that their multilingual text-generating tool guzzled approximately 433 megawatt-hours (MWH) during its <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tech-breakthrough-cuts-carbon-footprint-of-ai-training-by-75-percent/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">training phase</a>. This amount is sufficient to provide electricity to 40 average American homes for an entire year.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-jevons-paradox">Jevons’ Paradox</h2>



Yet, the energy concerns surrounding AI are not just limited to its training phase. As de Vries pointed out, when these AI tools operate -- such as generating responses based on prompts -- each operation demands a significant chunk of computing power and consequently, energy. A prime example of this is ChatGPT, which, if used consistently, could require a staggering 564 MWh of electricity every day.



There's a global push to enhance the efficiencies of AI tools, both in terms of hardware and software. The aim is to lower the energy costs. However, de Vries introduced an interesting perspective, citing the <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenrg.2018.00026/full#:~:text=The%20Jevons%20Paradox%20states%20that,consumption%20rather%20than%20a%20decrease." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jevons’ Paradox</a>, which posits that as technology becomes more efficient, its demand increases, leading to a net rise in resource consumption. “The result of making these tools more efficient and accessible can be that we just allow more applications of it and more people to use it,” de Vries explains.



Highlighting the potential scale of this issue, de Vries points to tech giant Google. The company is integrating generative AI in its email services and even experimenting with AI-powered search engine functionalities. Given that Google processes a colossal 9 billion searches daily, de Vries' calculations suggest that if every Google search incorporated AI, the annual power requirement could shoot up to 29.2 TWh, equating to Ireland's yearly electricity consumption.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-energy-projections-are-mind-boggling">AI energy projections are mind-boggling</h2>



While such a scenario seems far-fetched presently due to the financial constraints and AI server supply chain bottlenecks, projections indicate a rapid expansion in AI server production. By 2027, global AI-related electricity consumption might rise by a massive 85 to 134 TWh annually. This figure is on par with the electricity consumption of countries such as the Netherlands, Argentina, and Sweden.



Moreover, the quest for improved AI efficiency might allow developers to adapt certain computer processing chips exclusively for AI, adding further to its electricity consumption.



In his concluding remarks, de Vries emphasized the importance of a mindful approach to AI application. “The potential growth highlights that we need to be very mindful about what we use AI for. It’s energy intensive, so we don't want to put it in all kinds of things where we don’t actually need it.”



As AI continues its onward march, ensuring its <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-worlds-renewable-energy-capacity-will-take-a-record-leap-this-year/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sustainable</a> and responsible growth will undoubtedly remain a topic of intense debate and discussion.



---



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



---



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-ralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and <a href="https://www.earth.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth.com</a>.

Artificial intelligence applications can use as much power as entire nations

With advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) offering potential improvements across...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



---



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



---



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



---



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



---



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



---



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



---



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



---



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



---



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



---



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

News coming your way