On Friday, May 12, 2023, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/secondary-peak-extreme-geomagnetic-solar-storm-expected-today/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">strongest geomagnetic storm</a> in over two decades hit Earth, causing radio blackouts and extending the northern lights to the southern United States. 



As of Monday, May 15, 2023, officials from NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) have warned that these geomagnetic solar storms, caused by eruptions from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/see-the-sun-in-exquisite-detail-in-rare-solar-orbiter-video/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the Sun</a>, are not yet over.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strong-geomagnetic-storm-warning-remains-in-effect">Strong geomagnetic storm warning remains in effect</h2>



<a href="https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The SWPC</a> issued a G3, or "<a href="https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/noaa-scales-explanation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">strong</a>," geomagnetic storm warning that remained in effect until 2 a.m. ET on Monday. 



While the likelihood of stronger storms has decreased, and conditions are expected to gradually improve throughout the day, the center's forecast indicates that moderate to strong geomagnetic storms are still likely on Monday, with minor storms possible on Tuesday.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-high-solar-activity-and-solar-flares">High solar activity and solar flares</h2>



The SWPC also reported that "solar activity is expected to be at high levels," with more <a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/sun_solar-flares_region-3664_NASA_1m.jpg?_gl=1*un9usv*_ga*NjcwMzI4NTA4LjE2OTAzMTAwNjc.*_ga_STJW8JPZJQ*MTcxNTYyMzAzMy4xODA4LjEuMTcxNTYyNDIxMy41Ny4wLjA.*_gcl_au*MjEzMjY0ODcwMC4xNzE0NzAwMDg2LjI4NjIyNjExOS4xNzE1MzAwODg2LjE3MTUzMDA4ODU." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">M-class and X-class flares</a> anticipated, primarily due to the flare potential of Region 3664.



Another moderate X-class solar flare, the strongest class of these solar bursts, was recently recorded.



"Flares of this magnitude are not frequent," the SWPC representatives stated, warning that "users of high frequency (HF) radio signals may experience temporary degradation or complete loss of signal on much of the sunlit side of Earth."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sunspot-regions-3664-and-3663">Sunspot Regions 3664 and 3663</h2>



The flares originated from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-prepares-impact-three-cme-events-solar-storms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sunspot Region 3664</a>, a massive area of the Sun responsible for many of the flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that led to the weekend's extreme geomagnetic storm. 



This spot remains "the most complex and active on the disk," according to NOAA, and is so large that it can be seen from Earth by people wearing eclipse glasses, measuring approximately 124,000 miles across.



Sunspot Region 3664 has been active alongside <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/noaa-issues-severe-geomagnetic-storm-watch-first-time-since-2005/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Region 3663</a>, and together, they are considered "magnetically complex and much larger than Earth," as stated by NOAA.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-continued-cmes-and-minor-solar-radiation-storms">Continued CMEs and minor solar radiation storms</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/more-severe-extreme-geomagnetic-solar-storms-expected-tonight-tomorrow/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs)</a>, which are large bursts from the sun's atmosphere filled with plasma and magnetic fields that lead to geomagnetic storms, are expected to continue throughout Monday and fuel G3 activity. 



NOAA forecasts that "continuing, but weaker CME influences are anticipated to decrease responses down to unsettled to G1 (Minor) levels on May 14, 2023."



Minor solar radiation storms are also expected in the same timeframe, along with more radio blackouts. Some of these blackouts could be considered "strong" events, depending on the solar flares that erupt.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-auroras-visible-across-the-continental-united-states">Auroras visible across the continental United States</h2>



Weather permitting,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/more-mesmerizing-auroras-expected-across-united-states-new-extreme-solar-storm/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">auroras will be visible</a>&nbsp;again tonight over most of the continental United States. This spectacular display of lights is a direct result of the ongoing geomagnetic storm.



The threat of additional strong solar flares and CMEs, which ultimately result in spectacular <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/auroras-southern-united-states-this-week-huge-solar-storm/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">aurora displays</a>, will persist until the large and magnetically complex sunspot cluster, NOAA Region 3664, rotates out of view of the Earth. This is expected to occur by Tuesday, May 14, 2024.



As the geomagnetic storm continues to impact Earth, officials urge the public to stay informed and prepared for potential disruptions to radio communications and other technological systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-geomagnetic-solar-storms">Understanding geomagnetic solar storms</h2>



Geomagnetic storms are disturbances in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/earths-magnetic-field-origin-structure-and-impact-on-humanity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth’s magnetic field</a> caused by the interaction between the solar wind and the planet’s magnetosphere. These storms can have significant impacts on technology, infrastructure, and even human health.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-causes-of-geomagnetic-storms">Causes of geomagnetic storms</h3>



Geomagnetic storms typically originate from the Sun. They are caused by two main phenomena:



<ul>
<li>Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs): Massive bursts of plasma and magnetic fields ejected from the Sun’s surface.</li>



<li>Solar Flares: <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/strongest-solar-flare-in-7-years-prompts-gps-satellite-warnings-and-aurora-alert/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Intense eruptions</a> of electromagnetic radiation from the Sun’s surface.</li>
</ul>



When these events occur, they send charged particles streaming towards Earth at high speeds, which can take anywhere from one to five days to reach our planet.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-effects-on-earth-s-magnetic-field">Effects on Earth’s magnetic field</h3>



As the charged particles from CMEs and solar flares reach Earth, they interact with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/earths-magnetic-field-origin-structure-and-impact-on-humanity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">planet’s magnetic field</a>. This interaction causes the magnetic field lines to become distorted and compressed, leading to fluctuations in the strength and direction of the magnetic field.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-impacts-on-technology-and-infrastructure">Impacts on technology and infrastructure</h3>



Geomagnetic storms can have significant impacts on various aspects of modern technology and infrastructure:



<ul>
<li>Power Grids: Strong geomagnetic storms can induce currents in power lines, causing transformers to overheat and potentially leading to widespread power outages.</li>



<li>Satellite Communications: Charged particles can damage satellite electronics and disrupt communication signals.</li>



<li>GPS and Navigation Systems: Geomagnetic disturbances can interfere with the accuracy of GPS and other navigation systems.</li>



<li>Radio Communications: Storms can disrupt radio signals, affecting communication systems that rely on HF, VHF, and UHF bands.</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Aurora formation</h3>



One of the most visually striking effects of geomagnetic storms is the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/aurora-borealis-seen-as-far-south-as-the-equator-after-largest-known-solar-storm/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">formation of auroras</a>, also known as the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/auroras-southern-united-states-this-week-huge-solar-storm/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Northern and Southern Lights</a>.



As charged particles collide with Earth’s upper atmosphere, they excite oxygen and nitrogen atoms, causing them to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/steve-phenomenon-looks-like-an-aurora-acts-like-an-aurora-but-what-is-it/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">emit light in various colors</a>.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Monitoring and forecasting</h3>



Scientists continuously monitor the Sun’s activity and use various instruments to detect and measure CMEs and solar flares.



This data helps them forecast the timing and intensity of geomagnetic storms, allowing for better preparedness and mitigation of potential impacts.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Historical geomagnetic storms</h3>



Some of the most notable geomagnetic storms in history include:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carrington-event-biggest-solar-storm-history-radiocarbon-earth-tree-rings/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Carrington Event (1859)</a>: The most powerful geomagnetic storm on record, which caused widespread telegraph system failures and auroras visible as far south as the Caribbean.</li>



<li><a href="https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/great-halloween-solar-storm-2003" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Halloween Storms (2003)</a>: A series of powerful geomagnetic storms that caused power outages in Sweden and damaged transformers in South Africa.</li>



<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_1989_geomagnetic_storm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Quebec Blackout (1989)</a>: A geomagnetic storm that caused a massive power outage affecting millions of people in Quebec, Canada.</li>
</ul>



Understanding geomagnetic storms is crucial for protecting our technology-dependent world and mitigating the potential risks associated with these powerful space weather events.



Stay tuned to Earth.com and the Space Weather Prediction Center (<a href="https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SWPC</a>) for updates.



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NOAA: 'Strong' geomagnetic storms and auroras continue through Tuesday

On Friday, May 12, 2023, the strongest geomagnetic storm in over two decades hit Earth, causing radio blackouts and extending the northern lights to the southern United States. As of Monday, May 15, 2023, officials from NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) have warned that these geomagnetic solar storms, caused by eruptions from the Sun, are not yet over. Strong geomagnetic storm warning remains in effect The SWPC issued a G3, or "strong," geomagnetic storm warning that remained in effect until 2 a.m. ET on Monday. While...

The way in which we access and respond to current news on social <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-media-causes-depression-in-adults-too/">media</a> may inadvertently isolate us and place us in social groups with like-minded people. According to a study led by researchers at <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/">Princeton University</a>, this leads to polarization of user networks and may add to the politically divisive environment currently prevailing in the U.S.



The team of scientists that included Christopher Tokita, a PhD student at Princeton, developed a model of complex contagion, and applied it to the way in which reaction to news coverage may spread and lead to online polarization. Complex contagion is the phenomenon seen on social media whereby users need multiple exposures to a new idea or innovation before they change their own behavior.



The model also makes use of the concept of “information cascades,” or the process whereby individuals observe and mimic the actions of others, thereby causing a wide online shift in behavior. This phenomenon is not unlike the collective behavior seen in schools of fish or insect swarms.



Working with <a href="https://spia.princeton.edu/faculty/aguess">Andy Guess</a>, assistant professor of politics and public affairs at the&nbsp;<a href="https://spia.princeton.edu/">Princeton School of Public and International Affairs</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://eeb.princeton.edu/people/corina-tarnita">Corina Tarnita</a>, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology with the&nbsp;<a href="https://eeb.princeton.edu/">Princeton Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology</a>, Tokita then tested the model’s predictions using data from real social networks on Twitter.



They examined 1,000 followers of each of four news outlets: CBS News, USA Today, Vox, and the Washington Examiner.&nbsp;CBC News and USA Today are mainstream news outlets known for fact-based reporting, while Vox and the Washington Examiner provide more slanted and agenda-based coverage. Over a six-week period in summer 2020, the researchers recorded who followed and unfollowed whom in order to track political and ideological shifts among social networks.&nbsp;



The findings showed that followers of CBS News and USA Today represented a more ideologically diverse group than followers of the other two media outlets. In addition, the followers of Vox and the Washington Examiner&nbsp;tended to lose political and ideological diversity among their own online connections faster than users who followed CBS News and USA Today. These trends indicate the potential for networks to become politically polarized by virtue of their online activities.&nbsp;



The researchers found that when people are less reactive to news, they continue to receive news feeds from a diversity of sources and their online environment therefore remains politically mixed. However, when users constantly react to and share articles from their preferred news sources, they are more likely to end up in a network of like-minded users and become politically isolated. The researchers refer to these homogeneous but isolated groups as “epistemic bubbles.”



The model shows that, once such a network group is formed, users in these bubbles tend to miss out on news articles, not only from other media outlets, but also from their own, preferred sources. This is because they seem to avoid what they deem “unimportant” news at the expense of missing out on subjectively important news.



“Our study shows that, even without social media algorithms, coverage from polarized news outlets is changing users’ social connections and pushing them unknowingly into so-called political ‘echo chambers,’ where they are surrounded by others who share their same political identity and beliefs,” said&nbsp;Tokita, who is now a data scientist at cybersecurity startup&nbsp;‘<a href="https://phylum.io/">Phylum</a>’. “Whether a user chooses to react to or ignore certain news posts can help determine if their social network will become ideologically homogenous or remain more diverse.”



Once a user has unwittingly ended up in a network of like-minded people, he or she can deepen the extent of the polarization by the action of ‘curating’ or managing online relationships. For example, when viral news stories are shared, users can conclude that some of the “friends” they follow on social media are misrepresenting the news as reported by their own preferred outlets.&nbsp;When users subsequently decide to “unfollow” untrustworthy connections they unintentionally sort themselves into polarized networks.



“It’s not hard to find evidence of polarized discourse on social media, but we know less about the mechanisms of how social media can drive people apart. Our contribution is to show that polarization of online social networks emerges naturally as people curate their feeds. Counterintuitively, this can occur even without knowing other users' partisan identities,” Guess said.&nbsp;



Although it is likely that the divisions currently evident in American politics are due to many factors, online interactions have doubtless contributed by influencing human behavior and relationships. The study’s results show that blatant knowledge of political ideology or alignment is not necessary for social networks to become politically segregated for users.



The research team advocates for further investigation into how these trends may contribute to the spread and consumption of “fake news” and misinformation, and how inaccurate news fuels political division among members of the public. For example, the study suggests that people who consume and share fake news might be inadvertently isolating themselves from everyone else who follows mainstream sources.



“Though derived from a simple theoretical model of collective dynamics, our results demonstrate the power of a cross-disciplinary approach to the study of political polarization. We hope that they may inspire future examinations into social network-specific algorithms and patterns as potential contributors to societal polarization,” Tarnita said.



The results of the study are published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Social media behavior groups people into opposing networks

The way in which we access and respond to current...

As part of an ongoing saga of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) removing wild horses from public land in favor of private grazing interests, <a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=NUV7kTaSJeqTXZQ8Bosj22KFILO8e0YucA-2BU3INq7DXPJlkIpum67y6-2FPNg5H-2BhNRvqe_CAutWfm8j05RwFS7sOyY4Te5MWVtGwYBuuvxnmVSDT70wrYq6on4oO5ji6MjyScW-2BgoEIa-2FCDG3ArOEWG94udnZFLX1XNLWY5dXQRcuZFq7rRHWFhTZ6SUjUUeNAO2XeARyvFNyw9xcwOaTShBH2dzT9IoCXRHCwiCoMQSynajwXeg5MRxzjc3BRWkh-2FyljfqCC3hrxkfACiX5SyKrkgfBoh0Y5bK8OyMxqYQeTpj-2BatdGg2nyViLK3bE6vHRCARxjkrhcPpUm0s4YclSQuN2q6XrUTfVu5QKjCdxrXIQK78ZaMJaQqUNqQ9ixYFHHniynD0rs6-2BuJyE6RIUsRjyuV8BnIbzTcrwEoksKMJCt8kq2BLlyaHLygNAgbFXnAFn8C7A5uJAUxq4crXh7kee4g-3D-3D">American Wild Horse Campaign </a>(AWHC) is threatening a lawsuit.&nbsp;



With completion of this project - the largest roundup in BLM history - 50 percent of Wyoming’s wild horses will be removed. The brutal helicopter roundup will prove fatal for some, and at least 50 of the iconic horses are expected to die by the end of the campaign.&nbsp;



The AWHC now claims that the BLM has removed 59 horses more than legally allowed under the Environmental Assessment and Decision Record during the ongoing roundup near Rock Springs, Wyoming. To rectify the removal of too many horses, AWHC demands that the BLM return horses to their range immediately.&nbsp;



“This roundup is of great importance to the public, not only due to the sheer number of wild horses being removed but because of the continued scapegoating of this herd in favor of privately-owned livestock," said Grace Kuhn, communications director for AWHC.



"We want to send a clear message to the agency that we are watching closely and that every horse counts and matters.”&nbsp;



The horses in question live in the Salt Wells Horse Management Area (HMA) a 1.1 million acre habitat, federally designated for wild horses. The Bureau of Land Management on their <a href="https://www.blm.gov/wyoming/2021-rock-springs-gather">website</a> says that it estimates wild horse levels to be more than double the combined wild horse appropriate management levels across five HMAs.&nbsp;



The agency plans to remove approximately 3,500 horses and return an estimated 800 animals. As of November 29, 2,383 horses had been removed and 11 deaths reported.&nbsp;



“In its attempt to hide from the public that too many horses are being removed from the Salt Wells Creek HMA and too few are being returned to their homes, the Bureau of Land Management once again proves that the public cannot trust them to follow their own protocols or to protect and properly manage the wild horses in their care," said Carol Walker, a wild horse photographer who has been observing the roundup.



“Instead of protecting our iconic mustangs as federal law requires, the BLM is using the cruelest, most costly and unsustainable method possible to manage them while reducing wild populations to near extinction levels,” said Suzanne Roy, Executive Director of the American Wild Horse Campaign.&nbsp;



“The roundup underway in Wyoming is an extreme action that demands a reasonable, common sense alternative -- such as scientifically proven fertility control -- to preserve Wyoming’s wild mustang herds and humanely manage them in the wild where they belong.”



---



By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Biggest wild horse roundup in US history is raising concerns

As part of an ongoing saga of the Bureau of...

Cataracts - cloudy areas in the lens of the eye leading to decrease in vision – affects a large number of older adults. A new study published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2021.6990">JAMA Internal Medicine</a> has found that cataract surgery is associated with a lower risk of developing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dementia-cases-expected-to-triple-over-the-next-three-decades/">dementia</a>.



Based on longitudinal data of over 3,000 participants in the <a href="https://www.maelstrom-research.org/study/act">Adult Changes in Thought</a> (ACT) observational study at <a href="https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/">Kaiser Permanente Washington</a>, a research team led by the <a href="https://www.uwmedicine.org/school-of-medicine">University of Washington School of Medicine</a> discovered that subject who underwent cataract surgery had almost 30 percent lower risk of developing dementia from any cause. This lowered risk persisted for at least ten years after the surgery.



“This kind of evidence is as good as it gets in epidemiology,” said study lead author Cecilia S. Lee, an associate professor of Ophthalmology at UW School of Medicine. “This is really exciting because no other medical intervention has shown such a strong association with lessening dementia risk in older individuals.”



Although the precise mechanisms by which cataract surgery and lowered risks of dementia were associated have not been determined in this study, scientists hypothesize that the fact that people are getting higher quality sensory input after cataract surgery may have a beneficial effect in reducing the risk of dementia.



“These results are consistent with the notion that sensory input to the brain is important to brain health,” said study co-author Dr. Eric B. Larson, a principal investigator in the ACT study and senior researcher at Kaiser Permanente.



Another hypothesis could be that, after cataract surgery, people are getting more blue light, which improve <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rem-sleep-risk-dementia/">sleeping patterns</a> and thus increase cognitive functioning. “Some special cells in the retina are associated with cognition and regulate sleep cycles, and these cells respond well to blue light. Cataracts specifically block blue light, and cataract surgery could reactivate those cells,” Professor Lee explained.



Further research on the eye-brain connection in aging is needed in order to better understand how age-related vision problems could affect cognitive functioning. Clarifying these issues may offer new insights and potential therapies to slow or even prevent the development of age-related dementia.



---



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cataract surgery reduces the risk of dementia

Cataracts - cloudy areas in the lens of the eye...

Migratory birds travel long distances, twice each year, to access <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/feeding-your-dog-once-a-day-may-improve-its-health/">feeding</a> grounds in distant parts of the world. They are adapted to navigate these journeys successfully, and to withstand the extreme physiological demands of flying without stopping much along the way.&nbsp;



Now, new research published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a> suggests another way in which migratory birds may be adapted to make these challenging migratory journeys – they may have lighter-colored plumage.



Kaspar Delhey of the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany, along with his colleagues, had conducted previous studies on the effects of climate on bird coloration. The research showed that birds inhabiting regions with high temperatures and little shade had lighter coloration, in general. Light-colored objects absorb less heat and the researchers assumed that birds with pale plumage would be able to keep cooler in hot environments.&nbsp;



However, the researchers also came across other studies showing that migrating birds increase their flight altitude dramatically during the day and fly at much lower levels during the night. These other studies suggested that this phenomenon is driven by thermoregulatory needs: flying where it is cooler may help birds to cope with the daytime heat they absorb from the sun’s radiation.&nbsp;



“Because flying at high altitude is likely costly [energetically], these changes required an explanation,” said Delhey. “One possibility was that flying higher, where it is colder, would offset the heat absorbed by the plumage when the sun was shining.”&nbsp;



If migrating birds have to cope with problems of overheating while flying then it is also possible that they may have evolved lighter-colored plumage in order to reduce the absorption of heat radiated by the sun. Delhey and colleagues hypothesized that migratory species – especially long-distance migrants – should be lighter colored than resident species.&nbsp;



To test the relationship between plumage lightness and migration distance, they used the bird species described in the ‘Handbook of the Birds of the World’ (<a href="https://birdsoftheworld.org/">https://birdsoftheworld.org</a>), and divided them into those that are resident, those that migrate over short distances (&lt; 2,000 km), and those that are long-distance migrants (&gt; 2,000 km). They then quantified plumage lightness (from 0 = black to 100 = white) by averaging pixel lightness values from the illustration plates in the handbook.&nbsp;



The experts tested the effect of migration strategy on plumage lightness, while controlling for other factors known to affect plumage lightness, like climate, habitat and body size. They found that resident species were darker than short-distance migrants that were, in turn, darker than long-distance migrants.&nbsp;



Furthermore, they found the same relationship in 12 of the 15 orders of birds, when they considered each order separately (for example within the passerines, cuckoos, ducks and geese, shorebirds, pigeons, pelicans, or cranes). This demonstrates a general association between lightness and migratory behavior across all birds.&nbsp;



"We found across nearly all species of birds, migratory species tend to be lighter colored than non-migratory species,” said Delhey. “We think that lighter plumage coloration is selected in migratory species because it reduces the risk of overheating when exposed to sunshine. Lighter surfaces absorb less heat than darker ones, as anybody wearing dark clothes on a sunny day can attest! This would be particularly important for long-distance migrants that undertake extensive flights during which they cannot stop to rest in the shade.”



Delhey notes that many factors influence bird coloration and light colors are but one of many ways that migratory birds can avoid overheating. His team will continue exploring the connections between migration, climate, and other selective factors that shape the evolution of plumage colors in birds.&nbsp;



The research is another reminder of the important role of temperature and climate factors in shaping the evolution of animal coloration. According to the researchers, the findings also have clear implications for understanding the impacts of global warming and potential adaptive evolutionary responses.



---



By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Lighter feathers help migratory birds to keep cool

Migratory birds travel long distances, twice each year, to access...

Vitamin D, which we generally get from exposure to the sun, is essential for our bodies, particularly the bones. However, new research from the <a href="https://www.unisa.edu.au/">University of South Australia</a> has found that low levels of vitamin D do not only affect the bones, but could also increase the risk of cardiovascular <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-have-a-high-risk-of-disease-due-to-inbreeding/">disease</a>.&nbsp;



Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death worldwide, taking an average of 17.9 million lives each year. In Australia, one in four deaths is caused by CVDs, and treatment for such diseases cost the Australian economy five billion dollars per year.&nbsp;



Low levels of vitamin D are common in many parts of the world, with data from the <a href="https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/">UK Biobank</a> showing that 55 percent of participants have low levels (&lt;50 nmol/L), and 13 percent have severe deficiency (&lt;25 nmol/L). In the United States, 24 percent of the people suffer from vitamin D deficiency, in Canada 37 percent, and in Australia 24 percent.



By using a genetic approach to assess the vitamin levels of 267,980 participants and compare it with CVD risks, scientists found that people with vitamin D deficiency are more likely to suffer from heart disease and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/long-term-pollution-exposure-linked-to-hypertension/">hypertension</a>. For the participants with the lowest concentrations of this essential vitamin, the risk of heart disease was more than double than for those with sufficient concentrations.



“Severe deficiency is relatively rare, but in settings where this does occur it is very important to be proactive and avoid negative effects on the heart. For example, deficiency can be a problem for people living in residential care who may have limited exposure to sun,”&nbsp;said study lead author Elina Hyppönen, a professor of Nutritional and Genetic Epidemiology at the University of South Australia.



“We can also get vitamin D from food, including oily fish, eggs, and fortified foods and drinks. This said, food is unfortunately a relatively poor source of vitamin D, and even an otherwise healthy diet does not typically contain enough.”



Fortunately, vitamin D can also be taken from daily supplements, which can be safely used by people with low exposure to sun in order enhance their concentrations and thus improve their overall health.



“Those with the lowest concentrations are likely to have the strongest effects, yet a population-wide approach to eradicate vitamin D deficiency could reduce the global burden of CVDs,” Professor Hyppönen concluded.



The study is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/eurheartj/ehab809/6448753">European Hearth Journal</a>.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Vitamin D is essential for heart health

Vitamin D, which we generally get from exposure to the...

New research led by the <a href="https://www.uab.cat/en/">Universitat&nbsp;Autònoma&nbsp;de&nbsp;Barcelona</a> (UAB) has found that the knowledge possessed by Amazonian inhabitants can be crucial for assessing wildlife abundance trends in a context of urgent need for conservation strategies combined with limited financial resources.



The Amazon rainforest is home to 390 billion tree species and represents one of the world’s largest biodiversity regions. However, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deforestation-in-the-amazon-rainforest-hits-new-records/">deforestation</a> is rapidly increasing, resulting in an unprecedented loss of biodiversity. If this process continues at the current rate, 27 percent of the Amazon will be lost by 2030.&nbsp;



The impact of human activity on the rainforest can be measured by fast and accurate estimates of animal populations. However, gathering data about wildlife abundance remains very challenging, since it requires high logistics and financial resources, especially for longitudinal studies carried out in areas that are difficult to access.



Recently, scientists have started considering methods based on local ecological knowledge (LEK), gathered from empirical observations of local peoples. While such methods have previously been accused of subjectivism and lack of scientific validation, a research team from UAB has shown that in fact LEK is as accurate, or even more accurate, than standard scientific practices, especially when it comes to finding species that are rarely observed, such as nocturnal, cryptic, less abundant, or hunted ones.



“The perception of local people is multisensory, involving hearing, smelling,&nbsp;and&nbsp;observing indirect visual signs, such as footprints&nbsp;and scratches, which increase the ability&nbsp;of local people&nbsp;to detect the presence&nbsp;and estimate the abundance&nbsp;of an animal,” explained study lead author Franciany&nbsp;Braga-Pereira, a researcher at UAB.&nbsp;



“In addition,&nbsp;different from surveys on conventional line transects,&nbsp;LEK's effort involves different scales since&nbsp;local people have contact with the forest&nbsp;when&nbsp;carrying&nbsp;out their usual activities, such as hunting, fishing, agriculture, and harvesting of timber and non-timber products,&nbsp;at all times of the day and year, and throughout the territory&nbsp;where they live.”&nbsp;



Braga-Pereira and his colleagues argue that incorporating this method into community-based wildlife monitoring projects could significantly improve the quality of science and contribute to the sustainability of our planet’s tropical forests. Moreover, local communities will be more empowered by having more decision-making capacities in managing their natural resources.



“Ecological knowledge of local populations is more accurate than 10 years of conventional scientific monitoring for animal abundance in the Amazon,” Braga-Pereira concluded.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/2041-210X.13773">Methods in Ecology and Evolution</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Indigenous knowledge can help protect Amazon wildlife

New research led by the Universitat&nbsp;Autònoma&nbsp;de&nbsp;Barcelona (UAB) has found that...

According to a team of researchers at <a href="https://english.tau.ac.il/">Tel Aviv University</a> (TAU), a substance extracted from edible marine algae could stop the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/omicron-high-transmissibility-and-chance-for-reinfection/">coronavirus</a> from infecting human cells. Due to its antiviral properties, a water-soluble polysaccharide extracted from the cell wall of green seaweed called ulvan could prove to be an essential weapon in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.



“The lack of access to vaccines takes the lives of many victims and even accelerates the creation of new variants,” said&nbsp;study lead author Alexander Golberg, a professor of Environmental Studies at TAU. “The study is still in its early stages, but we hope that the discovery will be used in the future to develop an accessible and effective drug, preventing infection with the coronavirus.”



Golberg and his colleagues have been working with seaweed for the past eight years, looking for different compounds, particularly for the food industry. During the first lockdown, they also started to investigate whether some seaweed components could be used as a treatment for COVID-19. Since previous research has already shown that seaweed compounds had antiviral properties, the scientists decided to evaluate them against COVID.



“Ulvan is extracted from marine algae called Ulva, which is also called ‘sea lettuce,’ and is food in places like Japan, New Zealand and Hawaii,” Golberg explained. “It has previously been reported that ulvan is effective against viruses in agriculture and also against some of the human viruses − and when coronavirus arrived, we asked to test its activity.”



The Israeli scientists grew ulvan and sent it to the <a href="https://southernresearch.org/">Southern Research Institute</a> in Alabama, US, where a cellular model was built and exposed to both ulvan and the coronavirus. The researchers discovered that, in the presence of ulvan, the coronavirus did not infect the cells that they modelled.&nbsp;



However, since ulvan is actually a mixture of many natural substances, more research is needed to find out which is the one that actually prevents infection. Moreover, clinical tests on animals and, ultimately, humans are necessary before such a treatment can be commercialized.



“As long as billions in the low-income world do not have access to the vaccine, the virus is expected to develop more and more variants, which may be resistant to vaccines – and the war against the coronavirus will continue. For this reason, it is very important, for the sake of all mankind, to find a cheap and accessible solution that will suit even economically weak populations in developing countries,” Professor Golberg concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://peerj.com/articles/12398/">PeerJ</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Seaweed could stop coronavirus from infecting human cells

According to a team of researchers at Tel Aviv University...

New research led by the <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/index.aspx">University of Birmingham</a> has found that most of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/methane-emissions-are-higher-than-previously-estimated/">methane</a> gas emitted from Amazon wetlands regions is vented into the atmosphere through tree root systems, with significant emissions taking place even when the ground is not flooded.



After carbon dioxide, methane is the second most important greenhouse gas, contributing significantly to global warming. According to an increasing number of studies, it appears that much of our atmospheric methane emerges from wetlands. However, most of these studies assume that methane is only produced when the ground is completely flooded or underwater.



Surprisingly though, recent findings suggest that far more methane is emitted by trees growing on floodplains in the Amazon basin than by soil or surface water, in both wet and dry conditions. While in wetland areas without trees, methane would usually be consumed by the soil on its way towards the surface, in forested wetland areas, tree roots could be acting as a methane transport system, venting it into the atmosphere via the tree trunks.



In such conditions, methane appears to be able to escape into the air even when it is produced in soil and water that is several meters below ground level. Thus, existing models could massively underestimate the extent of methane emissions in wetland areas such as the Amazon basin.



In order to test this hypothesis, the scientists measured methane emissions across three plots on the floodplains of three major Amazonian rivers. The same trees were monitored a few times in a year to asses their response to changing water levels associated with annual floods.



The researchers estimate that almost half of the global tropical wetland methane emissions are funneled out by trees, even during periods when the floodplain water lies below the surface of the ground.



“Our results show that current global emissions estimates are missing a crucial piece of the picture,” said study lead author Vincent Gauci, a professor in the <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/gees/index.aspx">School of Geography, Earth, and Environmental Sciences</a> at the University of Birmingham. “We now need to develop models and methods that take into account the significant role played by trees in wetland methane emission.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2020.0446">Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London A.</a>



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Amazon trees are contributing to methane emissions

New research led by the University of Birmingham has found...

Like many items we use or wear every day, our shoes are often made with hosts of artificial chemicals and substances. With so many concerns vying for our attention, most of us don’t think too much about the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sustainable-practices-could-greatly-reduce-species-extinction-risk/">sustainability</a> of what we put on our feet. 



Luc Houle, founder of Johnny Footwear is trying to change how people buy, wear and most importantly - dispose of - their shoes. The name comes from Johnny Appleseed, a mythical American nature hero.&nbsp;



“Most people don’t realize the shoes they wear are harmful to the planet. They contain plastic that floods our oceans and landfills and sticks around for up to 1,000 years," explained Houle. "Our compound feels like traditional athletic shoes, but they biodegrade in 3 years rather than the typical 1,000.”



The shoes are made from mainly simple organic materials like cotton treated for water resistance with beeswax and naturally antibacterial cork insoles. Although it may seem concerning to some that the shoes may degrade while being worn, the company claims this won’t happen. Instead, for the shoe to break down, it must be underground for a bit of time. After just 18 months, 53 percent of the midsole will biodegrade.&nbsp;



And the namesake - as the shoe breaks down an apple seed is released as well. The company brags their shoe is the “first that grows into an apple tree." Although this is not strictly true, the shoe itself may nourish the seed hidden within to create a new wild apple tree.&nbsp;



While apple trees are all helpful for supporting the environment and wildlife, they do not necessarily bear good fruit. Apples from seeds are quite variable and don't always produce very edible fruits.&nbsp;



But if wild apples are not a good enough incentive, the company will plant a new tree for every pair of shoes sold.



“This is a new product, a new company and a new way of bringing innovation to the world," said Houle.



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By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Biodegradable shoe grows into an apple tree

Like many items we use or wear every day, our...

According to research carried out by non-profit <a href="https://friendofthesea.org/">Friend of the Sea</a>, ship strikes kill more than 20,000 whales every year. This an alarming number, especially considering how close to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/volcanic-fertilization-led-to-severe-mass-extinction-event/">extinction</a> some species (such as the North Atlantic right whale) already are. 



The problem of whale ship collisions is a worldwide phenomenon, but Friend of the Sea has identified eleven key spots where strikes are especially common. These are areas where shipping lanes cross prime feeding and breeding areas for whales.&nbsp;



The key areas and endangered whale species that are threatened by ship strikes include: blue whales in Sri Lanka, sperm whales in the Canary Islands, and humpback whales in Panama.



There are additional locations that play lesser or greater roles in the lives of different whale species scattered all over the world. In the Mediterranean alone, 220,000 ships cross the sea annually and 30 percent of the world’s marine traffic departs from or arrives in the Mediterranean Basin.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The main causes of collisions are shipping companies, cruise lines and speed boats.&nbsp; Because the problem is primarily a commercial one, part of the solution should come from industry.



The International Whaling Commision (IWC) is currently collaborating with other agencies to find a solution to the problem, producing a pamphlet designed to help reduce whale collisions.&nbsp;



Despite this small step in the right direction, it is difficult to evaluate whether the work has had any impact on collisions, much less on whale populations. Friend of the Sea is seeking to work with shipping companies to become part of the solution for whales.&nbsp;



Friend of the Sea recommends that all ships have a full time marine mammal observation program on board, covering a minimum of 120 degrees in front of the vessel. Ships could also use online systems to report and be informed of mammal sightings nearby. It is also essential that a plan is established for how to react to nearby whales and avoid ship strikes.&nbsp;



If companies follow these procedures, and allow Friend of the Sea access to their data in real time, the organization awards them with a "whale safe" label. In this way, consumers can make better choices in their purchases to help support whales.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Thousands of whales are killed by ship strikes each year

According to research carried out by non-profit Friend of the...

Oregon is United States’ major Christmas trees producer, being responsible for 31 percent of the US harvest in 2020. This $100 million-worth industry involves over 400 Christmas tree growers that produce and sell their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/snow-monkeys-go-fishing-to-survive-during-the-winter/">winter</a> holidays merchandise all over the country.&nbsp;



However, 2021 was an extremely challenging year for growers, due to several factors including the presence of a heat dome in late June that trapped ocean air and raised temperatures to 117 degrees Fahrenheit, scorching mature trees and killing seedlings; a series of weeks without any rain in the summer; rising fuel costs; supply chain disruptions, and understaffing.



These factors will likely contribute to shortages and slightly higher prices for Christmas trees during these holidays. According to Tom Norby, the president of the <a href="https://www.oregonchristmastreegrowers.com/">Oregon Christmas Tree Growers Association</a>, consumers should expect a five to ten percent reduction in Christmas tree inventory, as well as higher prices.



“Everything has gone up this year. Inflation is a real thing,” he said. “Christmas tree farmers have to buy fuel. Prices will be up, just like everything else. Are people going to be able to have a real tree this year? Yes. Are they going to have a tree that’s 100 percent perfect? Maybe. Maybe not. There was damage to trees. That’s global warming.”



The severe heat dome from the summer was an unprecedented event. “We’ve had events where the south side of the trees turned red, but nothing like this year,” said Chal Landgren, a Christmas tree specialist from <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/">Ohio State University</a>. “It’s the first year we’ve had such a hard time getting trees to grow. Growers have been watering trees, setting up drip systems, but irrigating trees is an expensive venture.”



The damage to the trees varied by species and location, with Fraser firs, noble firs, and grand firs being the most affected species. Luckily, species such as Nordmann, Turkish and Douglas fir appeared to be much more resilient to these conditions. “More growers will have to rethink their species mix and will grow Nordmann, Turkish and Douglas fir, which do better in heat,” Professor Landgren said.



According to Tom Norby, the worst effects of this year’s heatwaves may be yet to come and cause even more significant problems in the following years, particularly if global warming will remain unmitigated and continue to wreak damage. “One year is not a catastrophe. Two years becomes a big problem. Three years, it’s a catastrophe,” he concluded.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Christmas trees are more expensive due to climate change

Oregon is United States’ major Christmas trees producer, being responsible...

Covid-19,Pandemic,Coronavirus,Woman,In,City,Street,Wearing,Protective,Face

The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/latest-coronavirus-variant-may-be-500-more-infectious-than-delta/">Omicron</a> variant was first reported in the Guateng province of South Africa on 23 November, 2021, although <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2021/12/01/world/coronavirus-newsletter-intl-01-12-21/index.html">new findings</a> suggest that it had already been in Europe at least one week before being detected on the African continent. 



In South Africa Omicron infections are growing exponentially, doubling every few days, and the variant has been identified in over 40 other countries, including the United States, several Europe countries, Australia, and parts of Middle East and the Asian-Pacific region.



Due to its large number of new mutations, which suggest that it may be more contagious and able to evade immunity offered by prior infection or vaccination, this variant has sparked fears all over the globe, seeding strong feelings of uncertainty in billions and bringing <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/how-omicron-is-affecting-financial-markets/a-59996623">financial markets</a> down.&nbsp;



While Omicron’s degree of contagiousness is not yet clear, scientists estimate that, at least in South Africa, it is <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/12/03/world/omicron-variant-covid/omicron-is-spreading-more-than-twice-as-quickly-as-the-delta-variant-in-south-africa-scientists-report">spreading</a> more than twice as quickly as the Delta variant, already surpassing it as the dominant variant.&nbsp;



Moreover, a recent <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.11.21266068v2.full.pdf">study</a> that is not yet peer-reviewed has found that Omicron is capable of dodging immunity gained from previous infections. “These findings suggest that Omicron's selection advantage is at least partially driven by an increased ability to infect previously infected individuals," explained study lead author Juliet Pulliam, an expert in infectious diseases from<a href="http://www.sun.ac.za/english"> Stellenbosch University</a>.&nbsp;



While the variant’s ability to evade immune protection gained from vaccination is not yet clear, Moderna’s CEO Stéphane Bancel&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/27def1b9-b9c8-47a5-8e06-72e432e0838f">declared</a> earlier this week that existing vaccines will probably not be as effective against Omicron as in the case of previous variants. “I think it’s going to be a material drop. I just don’t know how much because we need to wait for the data. But all the scientists I’ve talked to are like, ‘This is not going to be good,’” Bancel said. Currently, both Moderna and Pfizer are analyzing in more depth the situation and have already started tweaking their vaccines to target this variant, in case this will be necessary.&nbsp;



However, it is still unclear whether Omicron causes milder or more severe disease than previous strains, as well as how the severity of the disease may be influenced by prior natural or vaccine-induced immunity.&nbsp;



According to a new pre-print <a href="https://osf.io/f7txy/">study</a>, this variant may have acquired parts of its genetic material from a common cold coronavirus. If this is the case, there are some reasons for optimism: regardless of its high transmissibility and capacity of evading previously acquired immunity, Omicron’s symptoms may in fact be milder that those of prior strains. Although, until now, real-world data regarding the severity of identified Omicron cases does seem to point in this optimistic direction, more time and research are needed to provide a definitive answer.



&nbsp;---



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Omicron: High transmissibility and chance for reinfection

The Omicron variant was first reported in the Guateng province...

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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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" 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 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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

[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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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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...

Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://welcome.miami.edu/">University of Miami</a> Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science explores how changes in water temperatures have affected tiger shark habitats and movements in the North Atlantic Ocean. The study reveals that rising temperatures have caused the sharks to shift toward the poles over the past 40 years.



“Tiger shark annual migrations have expanded poleward, paralleling rising water temperatures,” explained study lead author Neil Hammerschlag. “These results have consequences for tiger shark conservation, since shifts in their movements outside of marine protected areas may leave them more vulnerable to commercial fishing.”



The researchers analyzed nine years of tracking data from satellite-tagged tiger sharks, combined with four decades of conventional tag and recapture data provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Cooperative Shark Tagging Program.



The experts found that during the last decade of record heat, for every one-degree Celsius increase in water temperatures, tiger sharks migrated further poleward by over 400 kilometers. They also migrated two weeks earlier than usual to waters off the northeastern coast of the United States.



“Given their role as apex predators, these changes to tiger shark movements may alter predator-prey interactions, leading to ecological imbalances, and more frequent encounters with humans,” concluded Professor Hammerschlag.



Video Credit: University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science



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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.

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

Today’s Video of the Day from the University of Miami...