Archaeology sometimes feels like detective work with a very long timeline. Every chip of flint or shard of bone builds a narrative of how early humans used tools to feed themselves, cooperated, and thought about the places they called home. 



Fresh finds from two sites just northeast of today’s Tel Aviv - Jaljulia and Qesem Cave - add an eye-opening chapter to that story. 



They point to a moment, roughly 400,000 years ago, when hunters in the Levant not only pivoted to new prey but also <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stone-tools-in-south-africa-reveal-early-human-communication/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">redesigned their tools</a> and, perhaps, their beliefs.



The discoveries revolve around a specialized flint implement known as a Quina scraper. 



At first glance the artifact looks modest - smaller than a modern smartphone. Its scalloped edge, though, is razor-sharp, built for slicing through muscle and hide with an efficiency that would have impressed any butcher.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-flint-tools-and-shifting-appetites">Flint tools and shifting appetites</h2>



For nearly a million years, large game dominated dinner menus here - especially elephants that roamed plains stretching from Africa into Eurasia. 



When those giants dwindled, hunting parties had to recalibrate. 



The speedier, leaner fallow deer offered far less meat per kill, so hunters needed to process many more carcasses to match the calories once supplied by a single elephant. That change forced a rethink of both <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stone-tool-discovery-challenges-entire-theory-of-human-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">strategy and gear</a>.



Fallow deer thrived in mixed woodlands along what are now the Samarian highlands. Their bones fill layers in Jaljulia and Qesem Cave, signaling a dietary shift that mirrors broader environmental turnover during the late Lower Paleolithic.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tools-carved-with-flint-for-venison">Tools carved with flint for venison</h2>



Enter the Quina scraper. Unlike earlier, more rudimentary scrapers, this one features a stepped, scale-like working edge that holds a keen bevel. 



Microscopic wear marks reveal repeated motions suited to neatly removing skin and sinew. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/prehistoric-homo-sapiens-stone-tools-preserved-volcanic-ash-grotta-di-castelcivita/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stone tool design</a> likely spared hunters valuable time at the kill site, reducing exposure to scavengers and rival predators that could steal a hard-won carcass.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/stone-tools_400000-years-old_Quina-like_credit-Tel-Aviv_2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/stone-tools_400000-years-old_Quina-like_credit-Tel-Aviv_2s.webp" alt="A Quina scraper from Qesem Cave. Residue and use-wear analyses showed that the scraper was wrapped with organic material and used for scraping a dry hide (after Zupancich 2020)" class="wp-image-1970089"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A Quina scraper from Qesem Cave. Residue and use-wear analyses showed that the scraper was wrapped with organic material and used for scraping a dry hide (after Zupancich 2020). Click image to enlarge. Credit: Tel Aviv University</figcaption></figure>



Modern experiments with replicas confirm that the tool excels at producing long, clean strips of hide - ideal for lashing shelters, wrapping meat, or even tailoring early garments. 



A single scraper could be resharpened several times, making it a portable workhorse on multi-day forays.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stone-from-sacred-hills">Stone from sacred hills</h2>



The most unexpected twist lies not in the tool’s shape but in its raw material. Quina scrapers at both sites were made of flint hauled roughly 12.4 miles from the western slopes of the Samarian mountains, bypassing closer outcrops. 



That same upland served as a calving ground for fallow deer. Hunters, then, were linking an essential resource - flint - to the very landscape that provided their new staple food.



The study’s lead authors - Vlad Litov and Prof. Ran Barkai of <a href="https://english.tau.ac.il/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tel Aviv University</a> - spell out what that pairing means. 



"In this study we tried to understand why <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stone-tool-flint-discovery-challenges-theory-of-human-cultural-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stone tools changed</a> during prehistoric times, with a focus on a technological change in scrapers in the Lower Paleolithic, about 400,000 years ago," Litov explained. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forced-to-hunt-smaller-animals">Forced to hunt smaller animals</h2>



We found a dramatic change in the human diet during this period, probably resulting from a change in the available fauna: the large game, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-ancient-humans-hunted-elephants-with-stone-tools/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">particularly elephants</a>, had disappeared, and humans were forced to hunt smaller animals, especially fallow deer.



Clearly, butchering a large elephant is one thing, and processing a much smaller and more delicate fallow deer is quite a different challenge. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/stone-tools_400000-years-old_Quina-like_credit-Tel-Aviv_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/stone-tools_400000-years-old_Quina-like_credit-Tel-Aviv_1s.webp" alt="Examples of scrapers shaped by Quina-like retouch from the Late Acheulian Jaljulia: Déjeté scraper (a); transverse scraper (b); Single scrapers (c, d); Convergent scraper fragment (e)" class="wp-image-1970087"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Examples of scrapers shaped by Quina-like retouch from the Late Acheulian Jaljulia: Déjeté scraper (a); transverse scraper (b); Single scrapers (c, d); Convergent scraper fragment (e). Click image to enlarge. Credit: Tel Aviv University</figcaption></figure>



Systematic processing of numerous fallow deer to compensate for a single elephant was a complex and demanding task that required the development of new implements. 



"Consequently, we see the emergence of the new Quina scrapers, with a better-shaped, sharper, more uniform working edge compared to the simple scrapers used previously," Litov added.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tech-advancement-shown-in-flint-tools">Tech advancement shown in flint tools</h2>



Prof. Barkai explains that the study reveals “links between technological developments and changes in the fauna hunted and consumed by early humans.” 



While previous theories credited <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/from-nature-to-knapping-the-surprising-origins-of-stone-tools/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">advancements in stone tools</a> to biological evolution, he and his team suggest a “double connection, both practical and perceptual.”



Practically, tool sophistication evolved to meet the demands of hunting smaller, faster prey. Perceptually, Barkai points to a symbolic association between specific locations and resources. 



“We found a connection between the plentiful source of fallow deer and the source of flint used to butcher them,” he notes. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/early-humans-used-interesting-technique-hunt-big-animals-clovis-points/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Prehistoric hunters</a> seemed to favor flint from the same region where the deer roamed - Mounts Ebal and Gerizim - suggesting a deep-rooted awareness of the landscape and its significance.



“This behavior,” he adds, “is familiar from many other places worldwide and is still widely practiced by native hunter-gatherer communities.”



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



According to Litov, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samaria" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mountains of Samaria</a> held deep significance for prehistoric people living at Qesem Cave and Jaljulia. 



“We believe that the Mountains of Samaria were sacred to the prehistoric people… because that’s where the fallow deer came from,” he says.



As elephant populations declined, early humans in the region shifted their focus to fallow deer. Tools made from a variety of local stones have been found at Jaljulia, but something unique occurred when they began sourcing both their prey and tool-making materials from the Samarian highlands.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/stone-tools_400000-years-old_Quina-like_credit-Tel-Aviv_3m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/stone-tools_400000-years-old_Quina-like_credit-Tel-Aviv_3s.webp" alt="A close look at a Quina-like scraper from Jaljulia. Credit: Tel Aviv University" class="wp-image-1970091"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A close look at a Quina-like scraper from Jaljulia. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Tel Aviv University</figcaption></figure>



“Identifying the deer's plentiful source, they began to develop the unique scrapers in the same place,” Litov explains. 



These specialized tools - first appearing in Jaljulia around 500,000 years ago - later spread more broadly, showing up at Qesem Cave between 400,000 and 200,000 years ago.



Archaeological evidence, including fallow deer bones from Mount Gerizim and other sites, suggests that the area supported deer populations well into the Holocene. 



“Apparently, the Mountains of Samaria gained a prominent or even sacred status as early as the Paleolithic period,” Litov concludes, “and retained their unique cultural position for hundreds of thousands of years.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-prehistoric-man-was-smarter-than-we-thought">Prehistoric man was smarter than we thought</h2>



Pairing a resource with a place crops up again and again in human history, from obsidian quarries in the American Southwest to jade rivers in ancient China. 



The Jaljulia and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qesem_cave" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Qesem Cave</a> findings push that behavior deep into the past, showing that meaning and material were already intertwined long before written lore. Technology did not change in a vacuum; it mirrored environmental stress and social imagination.



Understanding how early communities adapted to shrinking megafauna offers a cautionary parallel for modern ecosystems losing key species. Innovation can soften the blow, but it also reshapes culture in ways that echo far beyond survival. 



A humble flint scraper, carried miles across rugged ground, reminds us that tools are never just tools. They are signatures of what people value, where they find sustenance, and how they make sense of their world.



The full study was published in the journal&nbsp;<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11759-024-09493-w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Archaeologies</a>.



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Stone tools created 400,000 years show technological advancement of early humans

Archaeology sometimes feels like detective work with a very long timeline. Every chip of flint or shard of bone builds a narrative of how early humans used tools to feed themselves, cooperated, and thought about the places they called home. Fresh finds from two sites just northeast of today’s Tel Aviv - Jaljulia and Qesem Cave - add an eye-opening chapter to that story. They point to a moment, roughly 400,000 years ago, when hunters in the Levant not only pivoted to new prey but also redesigned...

Tropical ecosystems are significantly dependent on emerging aquatic insects, which could expose them to greater risks, according to a new study led by researchers from Queen Mary University of London.



Published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ele.14322" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ecology Letters</a>, the study is the first to directly analyze and compare the interconnectedness between land and water in tropical and temperate environments through the lens of aquatic insects.



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



The study was focused on English, Welsh, and Scottish forests as well as Amazonian and Atlantic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/amazons-rainforests-are-at-risk-of-transforming-into-dry-grassy-savannas/">rainforests</a> in Brazil.&nbsp;



The researchers used stable isotope analysis to trace signals of aquatic prey within the tissues of arthropod predators, such as spiders. This technique illuminated the predators' dietary patterns away from water bodies.



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



Notably, spiders in tropical locales exhibited higher consumption of aquatic insects compared to their UK counterparts. Such dietary diversity indicates that terrestrial fauna in the tropics heavily relies on aquatic insects.&nbsp;



According to the researchers, these results suggest that tropical environments are more vulnerable to future disruption to the interconnections between land and water.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-increasing-pressures-nbsp">Increasing pressures&nbsp;</h2>



“Our findings show that we cannot simply apply knowledge from research in temperate zones to protect tropical ecosystems,” said study senior author Dr. Pavel Kratina.&nbsp;



“That tropical ecosystems are more vulnerable to disruptions to the links between land and water is worrying considering the increasing human pressures on tropical freshwater ecosystems, which are among the most threatened in the world.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-negative-human-impacts">Negative human impacts</h2>



Emerging aquatic insects serve as pathways through which negative human impacts can travel from aquatic to terrestrial environments.&nbsp;



Activities that diminish insect populations, like stream pollution, inadvertently affect land-based predators by limiting their access to essential nutrition derived from insects.&nbsp;



Given that tropical aquatic insects are perilously declining due to human endeavors and climate shifts, the study forewarns of consequential ripple effects throughout tropical regions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-riparian-buffers-nbsp">Riparian buffers&nbsp;</h2>



The study highlights the urgent need for robust protection measures for “riparian buffers,” or safeguarded land strips surrounding waterways that are crucial for maintaining the land-water connections.&nbsp;



Present buffer dimensions, ranging between 5 to 100 meters, are deemed insufficient to protect vast terrestrial biodiversity around water bodies.&nbsp;



With buffer regulations in Brazil having been eased in recent years, the researchers advocate for enhanced protection policies for these buffers and a more integrated approach considering the interconnectivity between different ecosystems, especially in tropical areas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-study-challenges">Study challenges</h2>



“Our research took us to remote parts of the world from the Amazon jungle and Iguaçu River basin in Brazil to Snowdonia national park in Wales and The Trossachs in Scotland,” said study lead author Dr. Liam Nash.



“We braved ticks, wasps, midges, and snakes to collect our samples, and saw animals such as harpy eagles and tapirs along the way. We ran into challenges with the pandemic, which saw me having to fly out of Brazil on one of the last available flights in March 2020 as travel rules were changing hourly! This work could not have happened without the help of experienced local field guides and close collaboration with scientists and students from Brazil.”



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Tropical ecosystems at risk: The critical role of aquatic insects

Tropical ecosystems are significantly dependent on emerging aquatic insects, which...

A team of scientists led by Northwestern University has recently devised an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/artificial-intelligence-earth-data/">artificial intelligence</a> (AI) program that has the groundbreaking capability to design walking robots from scratch.



To demonstrate the AI’s prowess, the researchers provided it with a seemingly elementary instruction: “Design a robot that can walk across land.” While nature required billions of years to bring forth a walking species, this new technology astoundingly achieved the objective within seconds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-innovative-designs-nbsp">Innovative designs&nbsp;</h2>



However, the AI’s uniqueness is not solely in its speed. Unlike many of its counterparts, this system operates on a standard personal computer, conceptualizing entirely new designs.&nbsp;



Most other AI models rely on vast datasets processed on high-powered supercomputers. Despite these resources, they’re largely limited by humans’ previous instructions, often reproducing past human designs instead of generating innovative ones.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-instant-blueprint-nbsp">Instant blueprint&nbsp;</h2>



“We discovered a very fast AI-driven design algorithm that bypasses the traffic jams of evolution, without falling back on the bias of human designers,” said co-author Sam Kriegman, an assistant professor of Robotics and AI at Northwestern.&nbsp;



“We told the AI that we wanted a robot that could walk across land. Then we simply pressed a button and presto! It generated a blueprint for a robot in the blink of an eye that looks nothing like any animal that has ever walked the earth. I call this process ‘instant evolution.’”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-xenobots-nbsp">Xenobots&nbsp;</h2>



Previously, in an early phase of the research in 2020, Kriegman had already been remarked by the scientific community with his development of xenobots, a pioneering type of robots crafted entirely from biological cells.&nbsp;



Now, Kriegman and his team consider the recently developed AI an evolutionary leap, coming closer to harnessing the untapped potential of artificial life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brand-new-organism">Brand new organism</h2>



“When people look at this robot, they might see a useless gadget. I see the birth of a brand-new organism,” Kriegman said.



Highlighting the AI’s powerful adaptability, the experts began with the foundational task of designing a machine fit for terrestrial movement. Although the AI began with a simplistic algorithm, through iterative advancements, it continually improved upon its initial design.&nbsp;



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



Astonishingly, in just nine design cycles, the AI crafted a robot capable of walking at a pace nearly equivalent to half of an average human’s stride.



All these design stages, right from the inception of a rudimentary block to a fully functional walking robot, were executed in a breathtaking 26 seconds on an ordinary laptop.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolution-in-action">Evolution in action</h2>



Reflecting on this extraordinary achievement, Kriegman said: “Now anyone can watch evolution in action as AI generates better and better robot bodies in real time. This is because evolution has no foresight. It cannot see into the future to know if a specific mutation will be beneficial or catastrophic. We found a way to remove this blindfold, thereby compressing billions of years of evolution into an instant.”



Amazingly, without any human input, the AI conceived legs as the answer to movement on land. However, its design deviated from nature’s symmetrical templates.&nbsp;



“It’s interesting because we didn’t tell the AI that a robot should have legs,” Kriegman said. “It rediscovered that legs are a good way to move around on land. Legged locomotion is, in fact, the most efficient form of terrestrial movement.”



Exploring the tangible implementation of the AI’s simulation, the team used the robot’s design as a blueprint, transitioning it from the virtual realm into the physical world using 3D printing and silicone rubber.



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



While the robot’s ability to walk is an undeniable marvel, Kriegman envisions a future teeming with diverse applications for tools born out of this AI’s ingenuity.&nbsp;



Elaborating on potential use-cases, he suggested scenarios where such robots could navigate disaster sites, seeking out survivors, or delve into intricate networks like sewage systems for maintenance and repair. On a microscopic scale, AI-designed nanobots might one day journey through human bloodstreams, providing medical interventions.



“The only thing standing in our way of these new tools and therapies is that we have no idea how to design them. Lucky for us, AI has ideas of its own,” Kriegman concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2305180120">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



image Credit: Northwestern University



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Artificial intelligence can design walking robots in seconds

A team of scientists led by Northwestern University has recently...

The vibrant environment of the Florida Keys, long associated with the famous“Margaritaville” from Jimmy Buffett’s iconic song, has recently revealed yet another natural marvel. These tropical islands, which shelter the only living coral barrier reef in the continental US and host numerous unique animals, have now gifted the world with a bright yellow <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/slugs-and-snails-no-longer-classified-as-pests/">snail</a> named in a nod to Margaritaville.&nbsp;



Researchers have introduced this lemony snail and its lime-green counterpart from Belize in a recent study featured in the journal <a href="https://peerj.com/">PeerJ</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-worm-snails">Worm snails</h2>



While reminiscent of the common gastropods that leave trails in gardens, these marine snails have been dubbed “worm snails.” Their sedentary lifestyle distinguishes them from their garden-variety counterparts.&nbsp;



As Rüdiger Bieler, the study’s lead author and the curator of invertebrates at the <a href="https://www.fieldmuseum.org/">Field Museum</a> in Chicago, puts it, “I find them particularly cool because they are related to regular free-living snails, but when the juveniles find a suitable spot to live, they hunker down, cement their shell to the substrate, and never move again."



"Their shell continues to grow as an irregular tube around the snail’s body, and the animal hunts by laying out a mucus web to trap plankton and bits of detritus.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-treasure">Hidden treasure</h2>



Although Bieler has dedicated over 40 years to studying invertebrates in the Western Atlantic, these snails remained hidden. “We had to look very closely,” he said.&nbsp;



These newly discovered creatures share their lineage with the invasive “Spider-Man” snail, described by the same team in 2017 from the Vandenberg shipwreck off the Florida Keys.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lemon-yellow-snails-nbsp">Lemon-yellow snails&nbsp;</h2>



The discovery took place in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, where Bieler, along with Petra Sierwald, another curator from the Field Museum, stumbled upon the lemon-yellow snails. In Belize, they identified a similar snail with a lime hue.&nbsp;



“Many snails are polychromatic - within the same species, you get different colors,” Bieler explained. “I think they do it to confuse fish and not give them a clear target, and some have warning coloration.” However, DNA sequencing revealed a surprising difference between the lime and lemon variants.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cayo-margarita">Cayo margarita</h2>



Taking cues from their DNA, Bieler and his colleagues categorized the snails under a new genus, Cayo, drawing inspiration from the Spanish term for a small island.&nbsp;



The bright yellow snail was christened Cayo margarita, echoing Jimmy Buffet’s “Margaritaville,” whereas the lime one was named Cayo galbinus, translating to “greenish-yellow.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-warning-colors-nbsp">Warning colors&nbsp;</h2>



Interestingly, these Cayo snails share some similarities with another worm snail genus, Thylacodes. A species from Bermuda belonging to this genus was named Thylacodes bermudensis by the team.&nbsp;



Despite being only distantly related, Bieler observed a commonality: “Our thought is this is a warning color. They have some nasty metabolites in their mucus."&nbsp;



"That also might help explain why they’re able to have exposed heads - on the reef, everybody is out to eat you, and if you don’t have any defensive mechanism, you will be overgrown by the corals and sea anemones and all the stuff around you. It seems like the mucus might help deter the neighbors from getting too close.”



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



Highlighting the significance of this study, Bieler emphasizes the dire situation coral reefs face due to climate change.&nbsp;



“There have been increases in global water temperatures, and some species can handle them much better than others,” he said, suggesting the snails’ habitat preference for dead coral pieces might lead to their expansion with more coral deaths.&nbsp;



Bieler's concluding observations stress the vast, unexplored wonders of our environment: “This is in snorkeling depth in a heavily touristed area, and we’re still finding new things all around us.”



Image Credit: Photo by R. Bieler



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Bright yellow "margarita snails" discovered in Florida Keys

The vibrant environment of the Florida Keys, long associated with...

Palaeontologists at University College Cork (UCC) have found molecular evidence of phaeomelanin - the pigment responsible for ginger coloration - in fossilized frogs.&nbsp;



The study, led by Dr. Tiffany Slater and Professor Maria McNamara, adds a crucial layer to our understanding of ancient animal colors and the evolution of pigments in the animal kingdom.



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



"Melanin pigments play a critical role in physiological processes and shaping animal behavior," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"Fossil melanin is a unique resource for understanding the functional evolution of melanin but the impact of fossilisation on molecular signatures for eumelanin and, especially, phaeomelanin is not fully understood."



The researchers collaborated with scientists from Fujita Health University (Japan), Linyi University (China), and Lund University (Sweden).&nbsp;



The team meticulously analyzed 10-million-year-old frog fossils, identifying molecular fragments of phaeomelanin, which is remarkable considering the pigment's toxicity to contemporary animals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exciting-discovery-nbsp">Exciting discovery&nbsp;</h2>



“This finding is so exciting because it puts palaeontologists in a better place to detect different melanin pigments in many more fossils," said Dr. Slater.&nbsp;



“This will paint a more accurate picture of ancient animal color and will answer important questions about the evolution of colours in animals."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolutionary-mystery-nbsp">Evolutionary mystery&nbsp;</h2>



Dr. Slater noted that scientists are still unraveling the mysteries of phaeomelanin, seeking to understand how and why this pigment, currently toxic to animals, evolved in the first place.&nbsp;



The newly discovered fossil evidence could play a pivotal role in solving this mystery.&nbsp;



Dr. Slater believes that this finding significantly empowers palaeontologists, enabling them to detect various melanin pigments across a broader range of fossils, thus providing more precise insights into the ancient creatures’ coloration and their evolutionary journey.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fossilization-experiments">Fossilization experiments </h2>



The experts conducted laboratory experiments on feathers of different colors (black, ginger, and white) to understand how phaeomelanin pigments undergo degradation during the fossilization process.&nbsp;



“Fossils are invariably altered by the ravages of heat and pressure during burial, but that doesn’t mean that we lose all original biomolecular information," said Professor McNamara.



"Our fossilization experiments were the key to understanding the chemistry of the fossils, and prove that traces of biomolecules can survive being cooked during the fossilization process."&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-biochemical-evolution">Biochemical evolution</h2>



“There is huge potential to explore the biochemical evolution of animals using the fossil record, when we account for chemical changes during fossilization.”&nbsp;



This discovery by the UCC team marks a significant step forward in palaeontology, promising a richer and more accurate understanding of the color palette of ancient life and the evolutionary history of animal pigments.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-40570-w">Nature Communications</a>.



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Color evolution: Ginger pigment found in 10-million-year-old frogs

Palaeontologists at University College Cork (UCC) have found molecular evidence...

Close-up,Portrait,Of,Tribe,Leader,Wearing,Animal,Skin,Eating,In

In what most people will consider an unusual way of disposing of dead bodies, evidence from a new study has suggested that stone age people may have practiced cannibalism as part of their funeral rituals. New research indicates the people of the Magdalenian culture indeed ate their loved ones in order to dispose of their bodies after death.



This conclusion is based on the findings from an extensive analysis of bones uncovered from archeological sites across Europe, including Poland, Russia, Germany, Belgium, France, Spain, and England.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-who-are-the-magdalenians">Who are the Magdalenians?</h2>



Named after a Magdalenian rock shelter in Dordogne, France, called<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abri_de_la_Madeleine" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> La Madeleine</a>, the Magdalenian culture was the last cultural period of Ice Age Europe. Archeologists have learned that this ancient society lived in central Europe and northern Spain. The time period was 11,000 to 17,000 years after the Last Glacial Maximum ended and human populations started dispersing into warmer climates.



The Magdalenians' elaborate artistic abilities and manufacturing skills are clearly apparent in the fossil evidence. Their were impressive craftsmen, creating tools with intricate designs using antlers, bone, and ivory projectile points and burins. 



<a href="https://pages.ucsd.edu/~dkjordan/cgi-bin/moreabout.pl?tyimuh=magdalenian" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Magdalenian culture</a>, which thrived from around 17,000 to 12,000 years ago, was characterized by its wide geographical presence, ranging from Portugal to Poland. The people were believed to have migrated from Belgium and the Netherlands into Britain around 15,000 years ago, using the link between the British Isles and mainland Europe.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-gough-s-cave">The Gough’s Cave</h2>



The Gough’s Cave, situated in Cheddar Gorge, Somerset, is a popular Paleolithic site believed to have served as home to a group of Magdalenian people. The cave has also been famously associated with the discovery of three manipulated human skulls shaped into cups.



Over the years, hundreds of human bone fragments scarred by human chewing marks, breakage, and cut marks have been retrieved from the cave. The specimens for this study came from this collection and other sites across Europe where Magdalenians lived.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-funerary-behavior">Funerary behavior</h2>



Lead author of the study was <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/departments-and-staff/staff-directory/silvia-bello.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Silva Bello</a>, a paleoanthropologist at the <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Natural History Museum in London</a>. She emphasized that the human bite marks found on the bones indicate this cannibalistic ritual was not based on the need to survive on the meat from the bodies, but as a ceremonial activity associated with funerals in that era. 



“We interpret the archaeological evidence that cannibalism was practiced on multiple occasions across northwest Europe over a short period of time," she added. “It’s an indication that such behavior was part of a funerary behavior among Magdalenian groups and not simply practiced out of necessity.”



The researchers identified 59 other sites of Magdalenian humans across Europe. Only 13 of these 59 sites showed indications of ritual-themed cannibalistic practices. These include the<a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/the-cannibals-of-goughs-cave.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Gough's Cave in England</a>, Courbet Cave in France, Maszycka Cave in Poland, El Castillo in Spain, and Peterfels in Germany.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-not-just-a-magdalenian-thing">Not just a Magdalenian thing</h2>



Based on the conclusions of this study, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-humans-used-to-eat-their-ancestral-relatives-practicing-cannibalism/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cannibalism</a> was more likely to be a “shared behavior” in the Stone Age. It is neither widespread throughout all cultures nor limited to a specific culture or group.



From the genetic angle, separating the two funerary behaviors into genetically distinct populations might be possible. In all the sites where cannibalism was recorded, the people involved were members of the ‘GoyetQ2’ genetic population. In contrast, the study identified "normal" burial behavior among people belonging to the ‘Villabruna’ genetic population.



Although both populations lived in Europe around the same period, the GoyetQ2 population drifted more towards the region around the borders of Spain and France. Conversely, the Villabruna population lived around the Italian-Balkan region.



While cannibalism has been previously documented among ancient human ancestors, this study marks the oldest known evidence of cannibalism as a funerary tradition. It is a discovery that invites further research and challenges our understanding of funeral rituals and the cultural significance of cannibalism among the Stone Age people.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-about-the-magdalenian-era">More about the Magdalenian Era</h2>



Dive deep into the recesses of prehistoric Europe, and you'll find a captivating chapter from the Upper Paleolithic period known as the Magdalenian era.



Originating in the Franco-Cantabrian region, which encompasses parts of modern-day France and Spain, the Magdalenian people inhabited an environment emerging from the clutches of the Last Glacial Maximum. As the glaciers retreated and Europe's climate grew milder, the Magdalenian culture thrived.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-remarkable-artistry">Remarkable artistry</h3>



The Magdalenian era is renowned for its art. Artisans carved intricate designs onto tools, weapons, and personal items. 



But what stands out most vividly are the elaborate cave paintings found in locations such as Lascaux and Altamira. These images, often depicting animals like bison, horses, and deer in dynamic scenes, serve as windows into the spiritual and social lives of Magdalenian people.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-innovative-tools">Innovative tools</h3>



The Magdalenian era saw a proliferation in tool diversity and specialization. Using materials such as bone, antler, and ivory, the Magdalenian people crafted harpoons, fish hooks, and needles. This indicates a broadening of their diet to include marine resources and also suggests advancements in clothing construction.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-social-structures">Social structures</h3>



The concentration of art and tools in specific areas hints at semi-permanent settlements. The existence of such sites, like the famed Étiolles in France, suggests that Magdalenian societies had organized social structures, division of labor, and even trade networks.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-environmental-interaction">Environmental interaction</h3>



The Magdalenian people demonstrated a keen understanding of their environment. Their art and tools reveal a deep connection to, and knowledge of, the animals they hunted, suggesting complex hunting strategies and rituals.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-end-of-an-era">End of an era</h3>



Around 12,000 years ago, as the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/welcome-to-humanitys-new-era-the-anthropocene/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Holocene epoch</a> commenced and brought warmer climates, the Magdalenian era waned. The rise of new cultures and technological innovations marked the end of this remarkable chapter in prehistoric Europe.



In understanding the Magdalenian era, we glimpse the ingenuity and adaptability of our Upper Paleolithic ancestors. Their legacy, etched in stone and bone, serves as a testament to the human spirit's resilience and creativity during a time of profound environmental and sociocultural change.



The full study was published in the<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277379123003578" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Quaternary Science Reviews</a>.



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Stone age humans from Magdalenian culture practiced cannibalism as part of funeral rituals

In what most people will consider an unusual way of...

A new study from Vrije University has shown that running can be just as effective as antidepressants in treating depression.&nbsp;



The results of the research, recently presented at the <a href="https://www.ecnp.eu/congress2023/ECNPcongress/programme/programme?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIoLOqoqbcgAMVCc53Ch3kQQ6vEAAYASACEgIhmfD_BwE#!abstractdetails/0000524290" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ECNP conference</a> in Barcelona, highlight both the mental and physical benefits of exercise over antidepressants.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-findings">Key findings</h2>



The study showed similar benefits in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exercise-may-improve-mental-health-more-than-medication/">mental health</a> between the group that took antidepressants and the group that engaged in running.



“Both interventions helped with the depression to around the same extent," said Professor Brenda Penninx, who led the study.



"Antidepressants generally had a worse impact on body weight, heart rate variability and blood pressure, whereas running therapy led to an improved effect on general fitness and heart rate for instance."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-improvements">Health improvements</h2>



Over a 16-week course, the running group showed improvements in weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, and heart function.



Conversely, the antidepressant group, who took Escitalopram for 16 weeks, exhibited a tendency towards a slight deterioration in these metabolic markers.



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



The study was focused on 141 patients suffering from depression and/or anxiety. The individuals were given the choice between taking SSRI antidepressants for 16 weeks or joining a group-based running therapy for the same duration.&nbsp;



The majority, 96 participants, opted for running while 45 chose the antidepressants. This discrepancy in numbers indicates a clear preference for exercise over medication among the participants.



Professor Penninx noted that the individuals who chose the antidepressant route were slightly more depressed than those who opted for running.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-adherence-to-treatment">Adherence to treatment</h2>



Despite the evident inclination toward running, the dropout rate for the exercise group was considerably higher.&nbsp;



Only 52 percent of the running group adhered to the recommended two to three supervised 45-minute group sessions per week for 16 weeks. The adherence rate for the antidepressant group was 82 percent.



The nature of each treatment might explain this difference. While taking antidepressants requires simple medication intake, running necessitates a more active approach, urging individuals to counter the sedentary lifestyles often associated with depression and anxiety disorders.&nbsp;



Running encourages individuals to go outdoors, set personal goals, enhance their fitness levels, and engage in group activities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-room-for-both-therapies-nbsp">Room for both therapies&nbsp;</h2>



"It is important to say that there is room for both therapies in care for depression. The study shows that lots of people like the idea of exercising, but it can be difficult to carry this through, even though the benefits are significant," said Penninx.



"We found that most people are compliant in taking antidepressants, whereas around half of the running group adhered to the two-times-a-week exercise therapy."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exercise-therapy-nbsp">Exercise therapy&nbsp;</h2>



While the study shows that exercise provides additional physical health benefits, the challenge remains in ensuring that patients stick to their exercise regimen.



"Telling patients to go run is not enough. Changing physical activity behavior will require adequate supervision and encouragement as we did by implementing exercise therapy in a mental health care institution."



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



Professor Penninx stressed the importance of this study as it gave patients a real-life choice between medication and exercise. She said the research aimed to assess the impacts of both treatments on overall health, not just mental well-being.



“Antidepressants are generally safe and effective. They work for most people. We know that not treating depression at all leads to worse outcomes; so antidepressants are generally a good choice," said Penninx.



"Nevertheless, we need to extend our treatment arsenal as not all patients respond to antidepressants or are willing to take them. Our results suggest that implementing exercise therapy is something we should take much more seriously, as it could be a good – and maybe even better – choice for some of our patients."



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Running is just as effective as drugs for treating depression

A new study from Vrije University has shown that running...

For the first time, scientists have successfully bioprinted fully functional skin. Researchers at the <a href="https://newsroom.wakehealth.edu/news-releases/2023/10/new-wound-healing-research-produces-full-thickness-human-bioprinted-skin#:~:text=The%20study%2C%20titled%20%22Bioprinted%20Skin,matrix%20remodeling%2C%20and%20provide%20optimism" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine</a> report that they have printed skin samples containing all six major cell types found in human skin.



The result is multi-layered, full-thickness <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-does-skin-become-leathery-after-too-much-uv-light-from-sun-exposure/">skin</a>, which includes all three layers present in normal human tissue: the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis.&nbsp;



"Bioprinting is a promising alternative method to generate skin substitutes because it can replicate the structural organization of the skin into biomimetic layers in vitro," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-breakthrough-for-treatment-options-nbsp">Breakthrough for treatment options&nbsp;</h2>



Bioprinted skin opens new possibilities for wound healing and severe burn recoveries, according to the experts.&nbsp;



“Comprehensive skin healing is a significant clinical challenge, affecting millions of individuals worldwide, with limited options,” said lead researcher Dr. Anthony Atala.



“These results show that the creation of full-thickness, human bioengineered skin is possible, and promotes quicker healing and more naturally appearing outcomes."



The significance of the bioprinted skin lies in its potential to not only promote quicker healing but also to yield more naturally appearing outcomes, enhancing the quality of life for patients in need.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-promising-results-nbsp">Promising results&nbsp;</h2>



The lab tests conducted on these bioprinted skin samples showed promising results, with the skin effectively forming blood vessels and skin patterns, and functioning as normal human tissue would.&nbsp;



Other recorded benefits include improved wound closure, reduced skin contraction, and increased collagen production, which collectively contribute to minimizing scarring.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unique-skin-grafts-nbsp">Unique skin grafts&nbsp;</h2>



Published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.adf7547" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Translational Medicine</a>, the study highlights that the printed skin grafts are unique due to their triple-layer structure that provides full-thickness wound coverage. 



This advancement in skin graft technology addresses a crucial clinical challenge, as current graft options only possess some elements of normal skin, often resulting in a scarred appearance post-procedure.



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



Skin grafting is a surgical procedure that transplants healthy skin to cover damaged or missing areas, often due to burns, injuries, or infections. This procedure plays a pivotal role in the treatment of skin-related medical conditions.&nbsp;



The transplanted skin typically begins developing blood vessels and connecting to the surrounding skin within a few days post-surgery.&nbsp;



Most skin graft procedures are successful on the first attempt. However, due to various factors including the patient’s overall health, graft size, and the surgical technique employed, the transplanted skin might not heal or “take” well, and additional grafting procedures are needed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-milestone-in-medical-science-nbsp">Milestone in medical science&nbsp;</h2>



The introduction of bioprinted skin presents a milestone in medical science, particularly for burn victims, wounded soldiers, and individuals suffering from skin disorders, as it offers an unprecedented opportunity for complete healing.&nbsp;



Through the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine’s innovative approach, the prospect of crafting full-thickness, human bioengineered skin has transitioned from possibility to reality, setting a new standard in comprehensive skin healing and regeneration.



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Scientists have bioprinted fully functional human skin

For the first time, scientists have successfully bioprinted fully functional...

Researchers have discovered a vast reservoir of water deep within the sediment and rock of a buried volcanic plateau, equivalent to an entire sea.&nbsp;



Located two miles beneath the ocean floor off the coast of New Zealand, this discovery may provide answers to the mysterious phenomenon of slow-motion <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/over-1000-shallow-earthquakes-detected-in-california/">earthquakes</a>, known as slow slip events.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unusual-earthquakes">Unusual earthquakes</h2>



The colossal water reservoir was identified through 3D seismic imaging and is situated beneath New Zealand's North Island, close to a major earthquake fault known for its slow slip events.&nbsp;



Unlike typical earthquakes that release tectonic stress rapidly, these slow slip events release the pressure more gradually, spanning days or even weeks.&nbsp;



Despite their less destructive nature, the causes behind the frequent occurrences of these slow-motion earthquakes at certain faults have remained elusive.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-massive-water-reservoir-nbsp">Massive water reservoir&nbsp;</h2>



Many of these slow slip events, also known as "silent earthquakes," were believed to be associated with buried water. Nevertheless, the scale of the water reservoir in this specific fault near New Zealand was unprecedented.&nbsp;



"We can't yet see deep enough to know exactly the effect on the fault, but we can see that the amount of water that's going down here is actually much higher than normal," explained Dr. Andrew Gase, the lead author of the study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ocean-drilling">Ocean drilling</h2>



The research was based on seismic cruises and scientific ocean drilling led by the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics (UTIG) team.&nbsp;



Dr. Gase, currently a postdoctoral fellow at Western Washington University, is calling for deeper drilling to find where the water ends up so that researchers can determine whether it affects pressure around the fault. This is an important piece of information that could lead to more precise understanding of large earthquakes, he said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-volcanic-terrain">Ancient volcanic terrain</h2>



The reservoir's site is a relic of a mammoth volcanic eruption that transpired around 125 million years ago when a colossal plume of lava, nearly the size of the United States, broke through the Pacific Ocean's surface.&nbsp;



This event ranks among the most significant volcanic eruptions in Earth's history, lasting several million years. 



Dr. Gase utilized seismic scans to reconstruct a 3D portrayal of this ancient volcanic terrain, identifying thick sediment layers enveloping dormant volcanoes. Subsequent lab tests on volcanic rock samples revealed that almost 50% of the rock volume was water.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-subterranean-water-pressure">Subterranean water pressure</h2>



According to Dr. Gase, regular oceanic crust of around 7 to 10 million years should have substantially lesser water content. However, the crust identified in these scans was a century older, yet significantly more hydrated.&nbsp;



The experts theorize that the initial shallow seas, where these eruptions occurred, weathered some of the volcanoes into porous formations capable of retaining water. Over millennia, these fragments morphed into clay, further encapsulating the water.



This insight is crucial, as it's widely believed that subterranean water pressure plays a pivotal role in engendering conditions conducive to slow slip earthquakes.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-saturated-sediments">Saturated sediments</h2>



Typically, this transpires when sediments saturated with water are buried alongside the fault, confining the water below ground. However, the sediment composition of the New Zealand fault diverges from this norm.&nbsp;



Instead, the researchers propose that the ancient volcanic remnants and their subsequent transformation into clay are ushering significant water volumes downwards, as they are subsumed by the fault.



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



Emphasizing the broader implications of this discovery, UTIG Director Demian Saffer suggested that earthquake faults worldwide might share similarities with this scenario.&nbsp;



“It’s a really clear illustration of the correlation between fluids and the style of tectonic fault movement - including earthquake behavior,” said Saffer.&nbsp;



“This is something that we've hypothesized from lab experiments, and is predicted by some computer simulations, but there are very few clear field experiments to test this at the scale of a tectonic plate.”



The research was funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and research agencies in New Zealand, Japan and the United Kingdom.



The research is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adh0150">Science Advances</a>.



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Massive water reservoir may explain mysterious earthquakes in New Zealand

Researchers have discovered a vast reservoir of water deep within...

An escalating trend of carbon-capture tree plantations has been primarily driven by the urgency of the climate crisis.&nbsp;



In an opinion piece published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2023.08.012">Trends in Ecology and Evolution</a>, experts warn that these initiatives might inadvertently endanger tropical biodiversity while offering minimal gains in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-level-rise-influences-coastal-carbon-storage-capacity/">carbon</a> sequestration. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-net-zero-emissions">Net zero emissions</h2>



"The escalating threat of climate change has spurred global commitments to achieve net zero emissions by the middle of this century," wrote the researchers.



"To reach a balance between reducing emission sources and enhancing greenhouse gas sinks, land-based carbon sequestration is viewed as an important strategy to offset emissions, most prominently via nature-based solutions."



"This, together with the commodification of carbon and the substantial growth of the voluntary carbon market, has resulted in a boom in the number of commercial tree plantation projects across tropical ecosystems with significant financial flows from private and public sectors towards carbon offsetting projects."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ecosystem-degradation-nbsp">Ecosystem degradation&nbsp;</h2>



The experts argue that carbon-offset plantations might come with hidden costs. Instead, they say, we should prioritize conserving and restoring intact ecosystems.



“Despite the broad range of ecosystem functions and services provided by tropical ecosystems, society has reduced value of these ecosystems to just one metric - carbon,” wrote the authors, led by Jesús Aguirre-Gutiérrez of the Environmental Change Institute at the University of Oxford.&nbsp;



“Current and new policy should not promote ecosystem degradation via tree plantations with a narrow view on carbon capture.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tropical-ecosystems-nbsp">Tropical ecosystems&nbsp;</h2>



Tropical ecosystems, including forests, grasslands, and savannas, are favored for tree plantation because they promote rapid tree growth.&nbsp;



Yet, contrary to popular belief, tree plantations designed for carbon capture seldom contribute to biodiversity or social-economic welfare, noted the researchers.&nbsp;



Tropical ecosystems are renowned biodiversity hotspots that provide invaluable ecosystem services, including water quality maintenance, soil health preservation, and pollination.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carbon-capture-plantations-nbsp">Carbon-capture plantations&nbsp;</h2>



Unfortunately, many carbon-capture plantations, typically monocultures, predominantly cultivate five tree species: teak, mahogany, cedar, silk oak, and black wattle. Although economically viable, these plantations tend to support lower biodiversity levels.&nbsp;



For instance, the Brazilian Cerrado savannah experienced approximately 30% reduction in plant and ant diversity following a 40% increase in woody cover.&nbsp;



Such plantations also inadvertently inflict ecological harm, including stream flow reduction, groundwater depletion, and soil acidification.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-little-gain-in-carbon-sequestration-nbsp">Little gain in carbon sequestration&nbsp;</h2>



The experts noted the limited effectiveness of even the most aggressive carbon-capture plantation endeavors in sequestering carbon.&nbsp;



“The current trend of carbon-focused tree planting is taking us along the path of large-scale biotic and functional homogenization for little carbon gain,” wrote the researchers. “An area equivalent to the total summed area of USA, UK, China, and Russia would have to be forested to sequester one year of emissions.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-subterranean-carbon-storage-nbsp">Subterranean carbon storage&nbsp;</h2>



The paper also highlights that intact tropical grasslands and savannas already function as significant carbon sinks, predominantly storing carbon underground.&nbsp;



This subterranean storage, at risk of being lost if these areas are afforested, proves more resilient to environmental disruptions like droughts and fires compared to above-ground carbon stores in tree plantations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-financial-incentives-nbsp">Financial incentives&nbsp;</h2>



Driven by substantial financial incentives, private firms are investing heavily in carbon-capture initiatives, a trend the authors believe is propelled more by economic considerations than ecological concerns.&nbsp;



While carbon metrics are straightforward to quantify and monetize, an excessive focus on tree-planting for carbon capture could potentially undermine efforts to protect intact ecosystems, leading to unfavorable compromises between carbon, biodiversity, and ecosystem functionality.



The experts say we should prioritize conserving intact ecosystems instead of focusing on commercial tree planting.



“An overarching view on maintaining original ecosystem functioning and maximizing as many ecosystem services as possible should be prioritized above the ongoing economic focus on carbon capture projects."



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Tree plantations have hidden impacts on tropical biodiversity

An escalating trend of carbon-capture tree plantations has been primarily...

Photo,Of,Young,Cheerful,Guy,Good,Mood,Cooking,Dinner,Taste

In the realm of human gastronomy, the term "basic taste" has long been associated with a quintet: sweet, sour, <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/how-does-salt-makes-things-taste-better/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">salty</a>, bitter, and umami, the latter being a late addition recognized in the early 1900s thanks to the work of Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda. However, fresh revelations from the <a href="https://dornsife.usc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">USC Dornsife</a> College of Letters, Arts and Sciences suggest that our tongues might just be more sophisticated than we imagined.



A research team led by USC Dornsife neuroscientist, <a href="https://dornsife.usc.edu/profile/emily-liman/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Emily Liman</a>, unveiled evidence of a potential sixth basic taste. The culprit? Ammonium chloride, a compound well-acquainted with those in Scandinavian countries where it's an essential ingredient in salt licorice, a candy that dates back to the early 20th century.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-otop1">What is OTOP1?</h2>



For many years, scientists have acknowledged the tongue's pronounced response to ammonium chloride, yet the specific <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/smell-receptors-tongue/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">receptors</a> enabling this remained a mystery. Liman's team believed they held the key. In previous investigations, they had identified OTOP1, a protein responsible for detecting sour tastes. 



“If you live in a Scandinavian country, you will be familiar with and may like this taste,” says Liman, professor of biological sciences. In some northern European countries,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/10/24/magazine/candy-salty-licorice-finland-happiness.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">salt licorice</a>&nbsp;has been a popular candy at least since the early 20th century. The treat counts among its ingredients salmiak salt, or ammonium chloride.



This protein, which is located within cell membranes, facilitates the movement of hydrogen ions (the primary component of acids) into taste receptor cells. This movement is what gives acidic foods, like lemonade and vinegar, their characteristic tartness.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-basic-taste-receptors">Studying basic taste receptors</h2>



With the knowledge of how the OTOP1 protein functions, the team hypothesized a connection between this protein and the sensing of ammonium chloride, especially considering the latter's influence on the acid concentration within a cell. 



By introducing the Otop1 gene into lab-grown human cells, thus producing the OTOP1 receptor protein, and subsequently exposing these cells to ammonium chloride or acid, the team discerned that ammonium chloride was a potent activator of the OTOP1 channel -- comparably strong, if not stronger, than traditional acids.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetically-engineered-mice">Genetically engineered mice</h2>



The experiments didn't end there. The team furthered their quest by simulating the way nerves transmit signals using a technique that measures electrical conductivity. When subjected to ammonium chloride, taste bud cells from typical mice showed a noticeable uptick in electrical activity (action potentials). Conversely, those from genetically-engineered mice lacking OTOP1 showed no response. Similar results were observed when signals from taste-innervating nerves were examined.



Perhaps one of the most enlightening segments of their research was when they observed mice's behavioral responses to ammonium chloride. Mice possessing the OTOP1 protein avoided drinking water mixed with ammonium chloride. Mice without the protein seemed unperturbed, even at high concentrations. This observation sealed the connection between OTOP1 and the sensing of ammonium.



Extending their investigation, the team questioned whether this taste sensitivity was universal across various species. They discovered that while the sensitivity of the OTOP1 channel to ammonium chloride varied among species, human OTOP1 channels, interestingly, were also sensitive.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolutionary-advantage-of-this-new-basic-taste">Evolutionary advantage of this new basic taste</h2>



Given the universality of this taste detection, one might ponder its evolutionary advantage. Liman postulates that this taste sensitivity evolved to deter the consumption of toxic biological substances rich in ammonium, such as certain waste products. This evolutionary rationale could be underscored by the varying sensitivities of different animals to ammonium based on their natural habitats.



The story of OTOP1's interaction with ammonium doesn’t end here. The team was able to pinpoint a specific amino acid within the OTOP1 channel essential for its ammonium response. The conservation of this amino acid across species indicates that it's crucial for survival. This finding hints at the broader significance of the OTOP1 channel’s ability to detect ammonium.



Liman's team plans to expand their investigations to determine whether this ammonium sensitivity persists in other members of the OTOP proton family. As their research progresses, the world will keenly watch to see if the roster of basic tastes, currently standing at five, will soon welcome a new member: ammonium chloride.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-about-basic-taste-receptors">More about basic taste receptors</h2>



Our tongues are intricate detectors, working tirelessly to discern the flavors of our meals. At the heart of this culinary exploration are the taste receptors, specialized cells that respond to specific flavors. 



These receptors help us navigate the broad spectrum of tastes present in our foods, from the sweet bliss of a ripe strawberry to the piquant zing of a chili pepper.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-basic-taste-receptors">The basic taste receptors</h3>



Setting aside ammonium chloride for the moment, the human tongue recognizes five basic tastes, each attributed to its own set of receptors.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sweet">Sweet</h4>



When you indulge in a dessert, it's the sweet receptors that spring into action. These receptors respond to sugars and certain protein-based sweeteners, allowing us to appreciate the sugary delights of candies, fruits, and baked goods.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-salty">Salty</h4>



Biting into a pretzel? It's the salty receptors that take charge. They react primarily to sodium ions, a primary component of table salt. This sensitivity to salt has evolutionary roots, as sodium is vital for many bodily functions.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sour">Sour</h4>



The tang of a fresh lemon activates our sour receptors. These receptors detect acidity, specifically hydrogen ions in food. Foods rich in citric, malic, or other acids will trigger these taste buds, helping us identify potentially spoiled or fermented foods.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bitter">Bitter</h4>



Many people shy away from overly bitter foods, and there's a reason for it. Bitter receptors alert us to potential toxins, as many poisonous compounds have a bitter profile. Found in foods like dark chocolate, kale, and certain coffees, the bitter taste is complex and can vary widely.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-umami">Umami</h4>



The newest member of the taste family, umami, represents the savory or meaty taste. Discovered by Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda in the early 1900s, umami receptors detect amino acids like glutamate. Umami tastes are often found in broths, meats, and fermented products.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-basic-taste-receptors-work">How basic taste receptors work</h3>



These receptors work in tandem with our sense of smell to create a comprehensive flavor profile for every bite we take. Upon activation, taste receptors send signals to the brain. The signals then translates these messages into the flavors we recognize and adore (or occasionally despise).



In recent years, with the advancement of molecular biology and genetics, researchers are gaining deeper insights into the world of taste receptors. Some scientists are even investigating the possibility of additional tastes, such as the aforementioned response to ammonium chloride.



For now, the next time you savor a meal, remember the hardworking taste receptors, the unsung heroes that let you journey through the world of flavors with every bite.



The full research paper was published in the journal<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-41637-4"> Nature Communications</a>.



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Your tongue now has six basic taste receptors instead of just five

In the realm of human gastronomy, the term "basic taste"...

Artist’s Concept of Luminous Fast Blue Optical Transient

The sky seems calm when we look at it. In reality, however, a lot is happening out there in the universe. For instance, there are bright bursts of light caused by exploding stars, massive collisions between celestial objects and LFBOT.



Considering these events are usually faint, only powerful telescopes that constantly watch the night sky can pick them up. This is precisely what Hubble has done.



<a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA's Hubble Space Technology</a> is known to pick up a lot of unusual sights. But no one thought it would pick up the LFBOT. Even more remarkable is where the space telescope picked it up - a place incredibly far from any host galaxy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-lfbot">What is LFBOT?</h2>



The Luminous Fast Blue Optical Transient (LFBOT) is a class of astronomical transients characterized by rapid and super bright evolution, rising and fading in just a few days. In addition to its blue color, another notable characteristic of the LFBOT is the featureless blackbody-like spectra with temperatures greater than 10,000K.



LFBOT is known for its shared features with supernova explosions of massive stars and explosions generating gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), but with distinctive differences from each.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-latest-lfbot-the-flinch">The latest LFBOT - The Flinch</h2>



The first-ever LFBOT,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SN_2018cow" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> AT2018cow</a>, was discovered in June 2018 in a galaxy 200 million light-years away in the constellation Hercules. Since then, only a few of these have been spotted, including the CSS161010 and ZTF18abvkwla. At the moment, they are only seen once a year.



The latest LFBOT is nicknamed "the Finch '' and designated AT2023fhn. Like previously discovered LFBOTs, it also shined in blue light but did not take weeks or months to return to low brightness after peaking. Instead, it took the Flinch just days to dim.



Also, while previously discovered LFBOTs have been spotted in spiral arms of galaxies where star birth is occurring, the AT2023fhn was spotted between two neighboring galaxies. It was about 50,000 light years from a nearby spiral galaxy and about 15,000 light years from a smaller galaxy. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lfbots-are-complex-and-so-is-flinch">LFBOTs are complex, and so is Flinch</h2>



The complexity of the LFBOT means only Hubble could detect its location. However, despite locating it, Hubble cannot determine what LFBOTs are, thus ruling out some possible theories.



Speaking on the peculiarities of the Flinch,<a href="https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/personal-profiles/ashley-chrimes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Ashley Chrimes</a>, a European Space Agency Research Fellow, formerly of <a href="https://www.ru.nl/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Radboud University</a>, Nijmegen, identified the Hubble observations as the most important piece of the puzzle.



"They (the findings) made us realize that this was unusual compared to the other ones like that, because without the Hubble data we would not have known," said Chrimes. She also doubles as the lead author of the Hubble paper, which is expected to report the discovery in the next issue of the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (MNRAS).



"The more we learn about LFBOTs, the more they surprise us. We've now shown that LFBOTs can occur a long way from the center of the nearest galaxy, and the location of the Finch is not what we expect for any kind of supernova."



Astronomers first spotted the Flinch in April 2013, courtesy of the Zwicky Transient Facility, a super camera assigned to scan the entire northern sky every two days. This initial spotting prompted the researchers to activate a standby program of observations designed to elucidate any potential LFBOT candidates observed.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-does-this-discovery-mean">What does this discovery mean?</h2>



The discovery of the Flinch may have uncovered more questions than answers. As noted by Chimes, “more work is needed to figure out which of the many possible explanations is the right one."



Researchers may now require a larger sample to understand the phenomenon better. There are also high expectations for the ground-based <a href="https://www.lsst.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vera C. Rubin Observatory</a> and other upcoming all-sky survey telescopes to detect more details that will help the quest to understand LFBOTs.



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Hubble spots a mysterious explosion, LFBOT, in a place it should not have happened

The sky seems calm when we look at it. In...

A few interesting theories exist about how the first humans found their way into North America after dispersing from Africa and Asia. But we may finally have some concrete evidence to make valid scientific claims and discard other assumptions. 



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



The most significant attempt at determining when humans first walked across North America was made a few years back. In 2021, a group of researchers <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abg7586" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published a study</a> with a stunning discovery that shed light on an intriguing mystery: When did humans first arrive in North America after migrating from Asia and Africa? 



In their findings, they discovered <a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/ancient-footprints_new-mexico_23000-years_USGS_1medium-scaled.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fossilized footprints</a> in New Mexico that indicate early humans were walking across North America around 23,000 years ago. The footprints were detected in a dry lake bed in White Sands National Park in 2009. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-exactly-were-humans-in-north-america">When exactly were humans in North America</h2>



To determine the approximate age of these footprints, scientists at the <a href="https://www.usgs.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S. Geological Survey</a> then analyzed the seeds stuck in them and stated the approximate age to be between 22,800 and 21,130 years. Based on the footprint sizes, the scientists noted that some were made by children and teenagers who were part of the last ice age population. 



"These findings confirm the presence of humans in North America during the Last Glacial Maximum, adding evidence to the antiquity of human colonization of the Americas and providing a temporal range extension for the coexistence of early inhabitants and Pleistocene megafauna," the study concluded.&nbsp;



However, these findings were met with skepticism in the scientific world.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-data-confirms-original-study">New data confirms original study</h2>



In what can be called a strong confirmation of the 2021 findings by the same researchers, a new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adh5007" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a> has confirmed that humans indeed walked the landscape of North America much earlier than we previously believed. 



The study employed two additional dating approaches to confirm what was previously known about the age of the fossilized footprints discovered in New Mexico. Optically stimulated luminescence and radiocarbon dating techniques revealed that the footprints date to about 21,000 to 23,000 years ago. 



"Every dating technique has strengths and weaknesses, but when three different techniques all converge on the same age range, then the resulting ages are exceptionally robust," explained Jeff Pigati, a research geologist at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in Denver and co-lead author of the paper. 



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



The findings of their 2021 studies "were controversial," thus necessitating an independent evaluation of the seed ages to develop community confidence in them.&nbsp;



Using radiocarbon dating on conifer pollen isolated from the same sediment layers as the ditch grass seeds, the scientists found that the pollen age statistically matched the seed age. They also used optically stimulated luminescence dating to estimate the age of the quartz grains in the footprint-bearing sediments.&nbsp;



Matthew Bennett is a co-author of the study and a professor of environmental and geographical sciences at <a href="https://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bournemouth University</a> in England. He explained that "the work confirms the chronology set out in 2021 for the site using independent methods, labs, and approaches."



The new dates confirm the imagery of a once lush landscape at White Sands. Over 20,000 years ago, the area was home to giant sloths, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/north-americas-largest-mammals-were-a-casualty-of-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mammoths</a>, and camels living near a lake. The human footprints suggest that modern humans also lived in White Sands National Park during the last ice age. How they got there is still a mystery.



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



With the study further supporting the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-arrived-in-the-americas-10000-years-earlier-than-previously-thought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">presence of humans</a> in North America during the last ice age, the global scientific community can finally put other theories to rest. 



Cynthia Liuktus-Pierce, a Geologist at the <a href="https://www.appstate.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Appalachian State University</a>, shared similar sentiments. “This is exciting and will certainly have scientists rethinking how humans interacted with the North American environment during the [Last Glacial Maximum],” she remarked.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-about-the-last-ice-age">More about the last ice age</h2>



The last Ice Age, an era that grips the imagination, played a pivotal role in shaping the modern world. Let's dive into this frigid period and explore its features, causes, and lasting impact.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-did-it-happen">When did it happen?</h3>



Often called the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), it peaked around 21,000 years ago. During this period, vast ice sheets covered significant portions of North America, Europe, and Asia.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-triggered-the-ice-age">What triggered the ice age?</h3>



Several factors contributed to the onset of the Ice Age. Orbital changes, known as Milankovitch cycles, altered the amount and distribution of solar energy reaching Earth's surface. 



These factors impacted global temperatures, initiating periods of cooling. Additionally, volcanic activity, shifting ocean currents, and fluctuations in greenhouse gas levels played roles in driving the Earth into a prolonged cold phase.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-life-during-the-ice-age">Life during the ice age</h3>



Life adapted to these chilly conditions. Woolly mammoths, saber-toothed cats, and giant ground sloths roamed the icy landscapes. 



Humans, too, showed resilience. They crafted specialized tools, developed new hunting strategies, and wore animal skins to stave off the cold. These adaptations not only ensured survival but also fostered innovation and creativity.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-did-it-end">How did it end?</h3>



The Ice Age didn't end abruptly. As Earth's orbit began to allow more sunlight to hit the northern hemisphere, temperatures slowly rose. 



The ice sheets began to retreat, carving valleys, forming lakes, and reshaping landscapes in the process. The meltwater also contributed to rising sea levels, creating the coastlines we recognize today.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lasting-impact">Lasting impact</h3>



The Ice Age left an indelible mark on the planet. Glacial valleys, moraines, and fjords showcase the power and movement of these ancient ice masses. The melting glaciers also filled basins, creating the Great Lakes of North America. Moreover, as humans migrated and adapted to changing environments, new cultures and ways of life emerged.



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Ancient footprints prove humans were in North America 23,000 years ago

A few interesting theories exist about how the first humans...

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



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



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https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
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Probiotics - beneficial microbes that balance gut bacteria and aid digestion - are typically fragile and can be destroyed by stomach acid or processing. 



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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