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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



A more controversial route links mind to quantum mechanics. 



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



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



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



Supporters counter with new work on room-temperature <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/key-to-life-on-earth-photosynthesis-begins-on-the-quantum-level-with-a-single-photon/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quantum effects in photosynthesis</a>, suggesting nature might pull off similar tricks elsewhere. 



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



-----



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



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



-----

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

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

A common protein found in cow's milk may soon revolutionize the field of wound healing, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/">University College London</a>.&nbsp;



The research, published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2023.0166">Interface</a>, uncovers the impressive healing capabilities of casein-infused bandages, an innovation that could replace expensive components currently used in wound dressings, such as silver.



<h2 id="h-exciting-possibilities">Exciting possibilities&nbsp;</h2>



Casein contributes approximately 80% of the protein in cow's milk. Over the last decade, scientists have become increasingly intrigued by casein's potential benefits.&nbsp;



The antimicrobial, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/olive-varieties-contain-different-levels-of-antioxidants/">antioxidant</a>, and anti-inflammatory properties of casein, combined with its value as a dietary supplement, make this protein an exciting field of study.



<h2 id="h-focus-of-the-research">Focus of the research&nbsp;</h2>



The UCL team, led by Dr. Jubair Ahmed, explored the potential of casein in a novel context: wound healing.&nbsp;



The researchers blended pure casein with polycaprolactone (PCL), a biodegradable polyester traditionally used in bandage materials. Utilizing a manufacturing technique known as pressurised gyration, first developed at UCL in 2013, they spun the mixture into fibrous material to create casein-infused bandages.&nbsp;



This technique, more cost-effective than other manufacturing methods such as electrospinning, allows for economical large-scale production.



<h2 id="h-how-the-study-was-conducted">How the study was conducted&nbsp;</h2>



In a rigorously controlled animal model, rats with identical small skin perforations were divided into three groups. The first group's wounds were dressed with casein-infused bandages, the second group received regular PCL bandages, and the third group's wounds were left untreated.&nbsp;



Over a period of 14 days, the team closely monitored the healing progress by photographing and measuring the wounds and conducting microscopic examinations.



<h2 id="h-promising-results">Promising results</h2>



At the end of the 14-day period, wounds treated with casein-infused bandages healed to just 5.2% of their original size. In contrast, the wounds in the PCL bandage group and untreated group reduced to 31.1% and 45.6% of their original size, respectively.



"Natural materials contain some wonderful properties, many of which are unknown. We knew that casein was reputed to have healing benefits and our results suggest there is a lot of potential to use it in medical applications like wound dressings. More work is needed to ensure that casein dressings are safe and effective in humans, but these initial findings are promising," said Dr. Ahmed.



<h2 id="h-great-healing-potential">Great healing potential&nbsp;</h2>



Additional analysis revealed that the casein bandages were non-toxic and levels of immune-related molecules surrounding the casein-treated wounds were markedly lower. This outcome further reinforces the healing benefits of this milk protein.



Casein's low-cost, readily available, and potential scalability make it an appealing alternative for future medical applications. However, one challenge in moving toward clinical use is ensuring consistency in the chemical composition and potency of the natural substances, as these can vary.



"All the research so far suggests that casein has wound healing potential, but at the moment we don’t really know why in any great detail. Casein has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, which may certainly play a part," said study senior author Professor Mohan Edirisinghe.



"The next step will be to understand the biological interactions taking place before we can consider clinical trials in humans.”



<h2 id="h-more-about-milk-protein">More about milk protein</h2>



Milk is a rich source of essential nutrients, and proteins make up a significant part of these nutrients. The two primary types of protein found in milk are casein and whey.



<h3 id="h-casein">Casein</h3>



This accounts for about 80% of the protein content in cow's milk. It's a slow-digesting protein that provides a sustained release of amino acids, making it beneficial for muscle growth and recovery.&nbsp;



Casein is also known for its various health benefits such as enhancing the body's immune function, promoting healthy digestion, and potentially even reducing high blood pressure.&nbsp;



In the recent study conducted by researchers at UCL mentioned earlier, casein was found to have potential wound healing properties, which opens a new avenue for research in medical science.



<h3 id="h-whey">Whey</h3>



This protein constitutes around 20% of the protein content in milk. Whey is a byproduct of cheese production and is a complete protein, meaning it contains all essential amino acids that the body cannot produce on its own.&nbsp;



Whey protein is quickly absorbed and is commonly used in protein powders and supplements to aid muscle recovery and growth after exercise. It's also associated with numerous health benefits, such as weight loss, lowering cholesterol levels, and managing type 2 diabetes.



—-



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

Common protein in milk could revolutionize wound healing

A common protein found in cow's milk may soon revolutionize...

A new study led by <a href="https://duke.edu/">Duke University</a> has recently found that shifting from a high-pressure mindset to a more curious, explorative mode could help improve learning and long-term <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-does-the-brain-connect-meaningful-memories/">memory</a>.&nbsp;



According to the experts, people who imagined being a thief scouting a virtual art museum in preparation for a future heist were better at remembering what paintings they saw in comparison to those who played the same computer game but imagined that they were executing the heist in-the-moment.&nbsp;



Such subtle differences in motivation – urgent, immediate goal-seeking versus curious exploration in preparation for a future goal – may have a significant potential for framing real-world challenges, such as prompting climate action and vaccine intake, or even treating a variety of psychiatric disorders.



<h2 id="h-how-the-research-was-conducted">How the research was conducted&nbsp;</h2>



The researchers asked 420 participants to pretend to be art thieves for a day and randomly assigned them to one of the two groups. “For the urgent group, we told them, ‘You’re a master thief, you’re doing the heist right now. Steal as much as you can!’,” said lead author Alyssa Sinclair, a postdoctoral fellow in Brain Sciences at Duke. “Whereas for the curious group, we told them they were a thief who’s scouting the museum to plan a future heist.”&nbsp;



After receiving the two different backstories, the participants played the exact same computer game in which they had to explore a virtual art museum with four colored doors, representing four different rooms.&nbsp;



When clicking on a door, a painting from a room and its value were revealed. Regardless of the scenario they were pretending to be in, each participant earned real bonus money by finding more valuable paintings.&nbsp;



The following day, the participants had to fill in a pop quiz in which they were asked to recognize 175 different paintings (100 from the day before and 75 new ones). If they recognized a painting, they also had to recall its value.



<h2 id="h-what-the-researchers-discovered">What the researchers discovered&nbsp;</h2>



“The curious group participants who imagined planning a heist had better memory the next day. They correctly recognized more paintings. They remembered how much each painting was worth. And reward boosted memory, so valuable paintings were more likely to be remembered. But we didn’t see that in the urgent group participants who imagined executing the heist,” Sinclair reported.



However, participants from the other group were better at figuring out which doors hid more expensive artworks, and succeeded to snag more high value paintings, with their stash being appraised at about $230 more than the other group’s collection.



<h2 id="h-urgent-mode-vs-curious-mode">Urgent mode vs. curious mode</h2>



As the researchers stressed though, differences in strategies (urgent vs. curious) and outcomes (better memory vs. higher-value paintings) does not necessarily mean that one is better than the other. “It’s valuable to learn which mode is adaptive in a given moment and use it strategically,” said senior author Alison Adcock, a professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke.



For instance, to solve a short-term, pressing problem – such as escaping a bear during a hike or deciding whether to get a vaccine during a pandemic – being in an urgent, high-pressure mode might be a better option. However, for boosting long-term memory and actions, stressing people out may turn out to be significantly less effective.



“Sometimes you want to motivate people to seek information and remember it in the future, which might have longer term consequences for lifestyle changes. Maybe for that, you need to put them in a curious mode so that they can actually retain that information,” Sinclair explained.



<h2 id="h-different-brain-regions-involved">Different brain regions involved</h2>



The scientists are now examining how urgency and curiosity activate different parts of the brain. Early evidence suggests that being in an urgent mode involves the amygdala, an almond-shaped brain area known to play a major role in fear memory, while engaging in curious exploration shuttles the learning-enhancing neurotransmitter dopamine to the hippocampus, a brain region critical for forming detailed, long-term memories.



According to Adcock, who is also a clinical psychiatrist, these findings could potentially benefit psychiatric patients. “Most of adult psychotherapy is about how we encourage flexibility, like with curious mode. But it’s much harder for people to do since we spend a lot of our adult lives in an urgency mode,” she explained.



The thought exercises developed in this study may provide patients the ability to manipulate their own mental and brain states and develop “psychological maneuvers” that could act similarly to pharmaceuticals currently used in treating mental illness. “For me, the ultimate goal would be to teach people to do this for themselves. That’s empowering,” Adcock concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2304881120">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



—-



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



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

Simple brain hack: Switching to curious mode can improve learning

A new study led by Duke University has recently found...

In a new study published in <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.15645">PeerJ</a>, scientists have revealed a long-held secret from Australia's deserts: the sweet nectar produced by the honeypot ant harbors antimicrobial properties that could prove invaluable in medicinal applications.&nbsp;



This revelation is less of a surprise for the First Nations communities, who have been utilizing this honey for its therapeutic properties for thousands of years. Once again,&nbsp; <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/indigenous-forests-prevent-15-million-yearly-cases-of-disease/">Indigenous</a> knowledge is proving invaluable in our continued scientific advancements.



The research team was led by Andrew Dong and Dr. Kenya Fernandes, who operate under the guidance of Professor Dee Carter at the University of Sydney’s Carter Lab, which is a part of the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/infectious-diseases-institute/home.html">Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases</a>.



<h2 id="h-honeypot-ants">Honeypot ants</h2>



The Australian honeypot ant, the subject of the research, thrives in desert areas primarily in Western Australia and the Northern Territory. The colonies of these ants comprise a unique class of workers.&nbsp;



Honeypot ants are overfed with nectar and sugary substances by their colleagues, causing their abdomens to expand and brim with honey, lending them a striking, translucent amber appearance. These engorged ants act as living food storage, providing sustenance to their colony by regurgitating the stored honey when alternative food sources are in short supply.



<h2 id="h-more-than-just-a-source-of-food">More than just a source of food&nbsp;</h2>



Danny Ulrich, from the Tjupan language group who conducts honeypot ant tours in Kalgoorlie, assisted the researchers in collecting specimens for the study. He described the honey ants as being more than a mere food source for his community.



“For our people, honey ants are more than just a food source. Digging for them is a very enjoyable way of life, and a way of bringing the family together," said Ulrich. "Our people have been enjoying sweet honey ants for thousands of years. As for its medicinal use, we use it for sore throats and sometimes as a topical ointment to help keep infections at bay."



<h2 id="h-unique-medicinal-properties">Unique medicinal properties&nbsp;</h2>



This study marks a pioneering effort in scrutinizing the medicinal properties of ant honey. Andrew Dong expressed his fascination with the honeypot ant and its extraordinary method of producing and storing honey: "Given the medicinal use of the honey by Indigenous people, I wondered if it might have unique antimicrobial characteristics."&nbsp;



In a comparative analysis, the team discovered that the ant honey had a distinct mechanism of action relative to Manuka honey. This is widely recognized for its topical use in treating wounds and skin infections. 



"Our research shows that honeypot ant honey possesses a distinctive effect that sets it apart from other types of honey," said Dr. Fernandes. "This discovery means that honeypot ant honey could contain compounds with substantial antimicrobial power; identifying these could provide us with starting points for developing new and different types of antibiotics."



The traditional medicinal use of honeypot ants by First Nations people has stood the test of time, with their wisdom now being corroborated by contemporary Western scientific methods.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-implications-for-human-health">Implications for human health</h2>



Professor Carter praised the unique antimicrobial characteristics of honeypot ant honey, stating, “Taking something that has been honed by evolution to work in nature and then applying this to human health is a great way to come up with therapeutic strategies.”



Crucially, the research found the ant's honey to be effective against Staphylococcus aureus, colloquially known as golden staph. This bacterium tends to colonize human skin and noses but can cause potentially fatal infections such as boils and sores when they infiltrate the body through cuts.&nbsp;



Furthermore, the ant honey demonstrated potency against two species of fungi, Aspergillus and Cryptococcus, typically found in the soil. This antimicrobial attribute likely evolved to prevent fungal invasion of the ant colonies and has implications for human health, particularly in combating infections in immunocompromised individuals.



<h2 id="h-more-about-indigenous-medicine">More about Indigenous medicine&nbsp;</h2>



Indigenous medicine, also known as traditional or folk medicine, refers to the knowledge, skills, and practices of indigenous peoples around the world in maintaining their health and treating, diagnosing, or preventing illnesses. This form of healthcare has been passed down through generations and is often deeply tied to spiritual beliefs, rituals, and a connection with the natural environment.



Indigenous medicine encompasses a wide variety of practices, which vary greatly among different cultures and regions. These may include the use of herbs, minerals, animal parts, incantations, rituals, physical therapies (like massage or acupuncture), and other methods thought to have healing properties.&nbsp;



The underlying philosophy of many indigenous medical systems is holistic, often considering the individual's mind, body, and spirit, as well as the wider community and environment.



Here are a few examples:



<h3 id="h-ayurveda">Ayurveda</h3>



A 5,000-year-old system of natural healing that has its origins in the Vedic culture of India. It is based on the principle of maintaining balance in the body's three doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.



<h3 id="h-traditional-chinese-medicine-tcm">Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)</h3>



This holistic system of health and healing uses approaches such as acupuncture, tai chi, herbal products, and nutrition to stimulate the body's healing processes.



<h3 id="h-native-american-medicine">Native American Medicine</h3>



This traditional healing practice involves the use of plants and herbs, but also considers the individual's spirit and emotions. Healing rituals often involve the community and can include song, dance, and prayer.



<h3 id="h-aboriginal-bush-medicine-australia">Aboriginal Bush Medicine (Australia)</h3>



This form of traditional medicine makes use of a wide array of native plants for healing and medicinal purposes.



It is important to note that while Indigenous medicine has been effective for many generations, its effectiveness can be variable and is often not regulated in the same way as modern medicine.&nbsp;



—-



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

Ant honey may hold the secret for powerful new antibiotics

In a new study published in PeerJ, scientists have revealed...

As climate change poses a far-reaching threat to wildlife, a compelling new study indicates that Arctic terns - known for undertaking the Earth's longest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/whales-face-increasing-dangers-along-their-migration-routes/">migration</a> journey - might have the adaptive capabilities to withstand the challenges brought about by our evolving climate.



Arctic terns lead lives in near-constant daylight, embarking on an astonishing bi-annual journey from their breeding grounds in the far north to Antarctica during the southern hemisphere's summer season.&nbsp;



Throughout their lifespan, these extraordinary birds cover distances so vast that they equate to traveling to the moon three times.



A collaborative research team led by the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> and the Met Office took on the challenge of investigating the potential impacts of climate change on these birds outside of their breeding season.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-focus-of-the-study">Focus of the study</h2>



The study delved into factors such as shifts in prevailing winds, variations in primary productivity that influence food availability at critical sites frequented by the terns, and the conditions of Antarctic sea ice.



Despite the fact that a likely decrease in foraging success in the North Atlantic could pose a future threat to the Arctic terns, the research team concluded that the overall repercussions of climate change for migrating terns are expected to be minor. This resilience is attributed to the bird's lifestyle, which plays out over expansive geographical areas.



However, the researchers underscore that even a combination of minor impacts may still pose a significant threat to this long-lived species, which can survive up to three decades. Other species that are less adaptable may not be as fortunate, and could struggle to escape the local and regional shifts induced by climate change.



Dr. Joanne Morten, from the University of Exeter, a key member of the research team, explained, “Arctic terns rely on productive oceans for food, sea ice for rest and foraging, and prevailing winds during flight.”&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-all-seabirds-are-at-risk">All seabirds are at risk</h2>



Despite the Arctic tern being classified as a species of "least concern" on the IUCN Red List, Dr. Morten warns that breeding numbers are in decline and monitoring them can be a complex task.



“Climate change is a massive threat to all seabirds. Our study looked at specific aspects of this," said Dr. Morten. "So, while our findings suggest this species may be resilient, this is only part of a bigger picture for Arctic terns and many other species. Meeting carbon emissions targets is vital to slow these projected end-of-century climatic changes and minimise extinction risk for all species.”



<h2 id="h-how-the-research-was-conducted">How the research was conducted&nbsp;</h2>



The researchers utilized multiple climate and Earth System Models to predict alterations up to the year 2100, building on current observations of ongoing climate change.&nbsp;



The team evaluated the impacts of two emissions scenarios: a "middle-of-the-road" scenario and a more severe "fossil-fuelled development" scenario.



<h2 id="h-what-the-researchers-discovered">What the researchers discovered&nbsp;</h2>



Under the latter scenario, a notable decline in primary productivity, which is the foundational level of all food chains, was projected for the North Atlantic, an important feeding ground for a myriad of seabirds and marine animals.&nbsp;



However, the study projected only minimal changes to primary productivity at three other pivotal sites for Arctic terns: the Benguela Upwelling, the Subantarctic Indian Ocean, and the Southern Ocean.



<h2 id="h-implications-of-the-study">Implications of the study</h2>



While the consequences of an anticipated decline in Antarctic sea ice for terns remains uncertain, the study proposed that the projected minor changes to prevailing winds would have minimal impacts on tern migration – with the notable exception of the Southern Ocean, where strengthening winds could necessitate a shift in the birds' flight routes.



Initiated with a virtual Climate Data Challenge "hackathon," the interdisciplinary approach offered an opportunity for ecologists and climate scientists to converge. The research team encompassed members from multiple universities, including those in Liverpool, Bristol, Washington, Oxford and Iceland.



The study findings, which contribute significantly to our understanding of the interaction between climate change and wildlife, have been published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16891">Global Change Biology</a>.



—-



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

How Arctic terns may navigate the challenges of climate change

As climate change poses a far-reaching threat to wildlife, a...

Horseshoe,Bend

The&nbsp;Colorado River Basin – the area drained by the Colorado River and its tributaries – covers approximately 647,500 square kilometers (250,000 square miles) in seven states across western United States, supplying water to about 40 million people while supporting agriculture and natural ecosystems.&nbsp;



According to a new study conducted by the <a href="https://www.ucla.edu/">University of California, Los Angeles</a> (UCLA), from 2000 to 2021, climate change caused the loss of over 40 trillion liters (10 trillion gallons) of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/major-changes-ahead-for-the-colorado-river-basin/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water in this basin</a>. 



This is equal to the full storage capacity of Lake Mead, the largest reservoir on the Colorado River. The massive loss of water prompted supply cuts under the first federally declared water shortage in 2021.&nbsp;



The southwestern North American megadrought is an ongoing drought that began in 2000. This is the driest multi-decade period the region has seen in at least 1,200 years. It has significantly reduced river flow and shrunk reservoirs, leading to widespread concerns about water scarcity as the climate continues to warm.



<h2 id="h-sensitivity-of-the-colorado-river-basin">Sensitivity of the Colorado River Basin&nbsp;</h2>



“While we knew warming was having an impact on the Colorado Basin’s water availability, we were surprised to find how sensitive the basin is to warming compared to other major basins across the western U.S., and how high this sensitivity is in the relatively small area of the basin’s crucial snowpack regions,” said lead author Benjamin Bass, a hydrological modeler at UCLA.



“The fact that warming removed as much water from the basin as the size of Lake Mead itself during the recent megadrought is a wakeup call to the climate change impacts we are living today.”



<h2 id="h-studying-the-colorado-river">Studying the Colorado River</h2>



While previous investigations of water resources in this region have largely focused on the effects of climate change, the current study also took into account the impact of plants’ complex responses to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide.&nbsp;



Moreover, by comparing historical warming in the Colorado River Basin’s snowpack regions with that in the non-snowpack regions, the experts calculated the quantity of runoff changes per degree of warming. This helped them assess how anthropogenic climate change has dried out traditional snowpack regions and quickly reduced the runoff feeding the Colorado River.



The researchers used a land surface model capable of analyzing water, changes in vegetation, and vegetation’s response to rises in atmospheric CO2 to examine how the basin’s hydrology changed between 1880 and 2021. 



They employed standard data sets to represent atmospheric conditions, streamflow gauges, and other records capturing the regional hydrology. They also used ground and satellite data to assess actual changes in vegetation.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-what-the-research-team-learned">What the research team learned&nbsp;</h2>



The analysis revealed that from 1880 to 2021, the temperature in the Colorado River Basin increased by nearly 1.5 degrees Celsius due to climate change. This resulted in a 10.3 percent reduction in runoff. 



However, without including the effects of plants, current water loss would be closer to 13 percent. This discovery highlights the importance of including vegetation processes in water modeling.



In addition, the researchers discovered that the typically snow-covered parts of the basin are losing water twice as fast as the regions without snow. This finding suggests that the Rocky Mountain West is transitioning to a more arid climate rather than just undergoing periodic droughts. 



Since snowpack makes an outsized contribution to the basin’s water supply – accounting for two-thirds of the basin’s total runoff – these changes should be of immediate concern to water managers.



<h2 id="h-implications-of-the-study">Implications of the study&nbsp;</h2>



According to Bass, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usbr.gov/lc/region/pao/pdfiles/crcompct.pdf">1922 Colorado River Compact</a> governs the use of river water by the seven western U.S. states the Colorado River flows through. It was written with the assumption that the regional climate was stable. 



When the representatives of these states signed the contract, “they expected 15 million acre-feet of water (about 18.5 trillion liters) would be provided from the basin, on average, each year.”



“If they were outlining the compact now, they would need to adjust that value due to the impact of warming. Going into the future, we may get some natural variability, wet or dry swings, but this study highlights that there’s been a decreasing trend in runoff. In the long run, that’s likely to continue if greenhouse gas emissions are not reduced,” he concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2022WR033454">Water Resources Research</a>.



<h2>More about the Colorado River Basin</h2>



The Colorado River Basin is a vast, geographically diverse region in the western United States and northern Mexico. The basin encompasses the drainage areas of the Colorado River and its tributaries. 



Covering approximately 246,000 square miles, it spreads across seven U.S. states (Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, and California) and two Mexican states (Baja California and Sonora).



<h2>Geography and geology</h2>



Originating from the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, the river flows over 1,450 miles, descending through a series of plateaus and gorges before emptying into the Gulf of California. 



Notable geological features in the basin include the Grand Canyon, Glen Canyon, and Hoover Dam. The basin's topography varies, featuring snow-capped peaks, arid desert land, and lush river valleys.



The Colorado River Basin displays a complex geological history, with rock layers revealing hundreds of millions of years of Earth's evolution. Sedimentary rocks dominate the landscape, bearing testament to past periods of marine, lacustrine, and terrestrial deposition.



<h3>Climate in the Colorado River Basin</h3>



The climate in the Colorado River Basin ranges from cold alpine conditions in the headwaters to arid desert in the lower reaches. 



The upper basin, particularly in the Rocky Mountains, heavily concentrates precipitation, largely in the form of snow. This causes significant seasonal flow variation, with peak river flows occurring during spring and early summer due to snowmelt.



<h3>Flora and fauna</h3>



The Colorado River Basin supports diverse ecosystems and a variety of wildlife. High mountain areas feature coniferous forests, while desert regions host species adapted to arid conditions, such as cacti and yucca. 



The river itself and its riparian zones provide habitat for aquatic and semi-aquatic species. These include numerous types of fish, amphibians, birds, and mammals.



<h3>Human use and impact</h3>



Human activities profoundly affect the Colorado River Basin. It supplies water to approximately 40 million people and irrigates 5.5 million acres of land. Major cities, including Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Los Angeles, rely on the Colorado River for their water supply.



Numerous dams and reservoirs heavily manage the basin's water, providing hydroelectric power, water storage, and flood control. The construction of the Hoover Dam in the 1930s formed Lake Mead, the largest of these reservoirs.



Water demands in the basin often exceed supply, leading to overallocation and environmental stress. The river frequently runs dry before reaching its delta, resulting in the loss of wetlands and riparian habitats. Climate change is exacerbating these issues, with reduced snowpack and increased evaporation diminishing water availability.



In summary, the Colorado River Basin is an integral component of the western United States and northern Mexico. It provides crucial water resources for humans and a diverse array of habitats for wildlife. Its geography and geology are incredibly varied, offering a snapshot into the planet's geological past. 



Despite its importance, the basin faces significant challenges due to climate change and human overuse. It has become crucial that scientists initiate sustainable management strategies to safeguard its future.



—-



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



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

Colorado River Basin has lost enough water to fill Lake Mead

The&nbsp;Colorado River Basin – the area drained by the Colorado...

As urban habitats continue to expand, a new study suggests that these human-influenced landscapes may serve as an unexpected sanctuary for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-many-invasive-plant-species-are-in-the-world/">invasive species</a>. The research, led by Dr. Monica Mowery and her team at <a href="https://in.bgu.ac.il/en/Pages/default.aspx">Ben-Gurion University of the Negev</a>, has found that invasive brown widow spiders flourish in the urban environment, largely thanks to a lack of predators and a significant decrease in parasitism.



Published in the journal <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00442-023-05378-x">Oecologia</a>, the study sheds light on the intriguing behavior of the brown widow spider, or Latrodectus geometricus, a species that is increasingly making its presence felt in warm urban climates across the globe.&nbsp;



"Our results suggest that habitat plays a key role in changing interactions with predators and parasites, and in particular that urban species may benefit from a lower abundance of predators in their habitat,” explained Dr. Mowery.



<h2 id="h-focus-of-the-study">Focus of the study</h2>



To understand the variations in host and parasitoid densities, the researchers embarked on a year-long investigation in the Negev desert, comparing the egg sac parasitism of the urban invasive brown widow spider with the desert-dwelling white widow spider, or L. pallidus.&nbsp;



The researchers discovered that brown widow spider populations thrived at remarkably high densities in urban environments - with web distances as close as 10 centimeters apart - while experiencing astoundingly low rates of parasitism from their common foe, a parasitoid wasp that specifically targets spider egg sacs.



By contrast, the white widow spiders, despite populating dense communities in the Negev Desert, were heavily infested with parasites. The stark differences observed in parasitism rates suggest that urban environments provide a protective shield of sorts to the invasive spiders.



<h2 id="h-bold-field-experiment">Bold field experiment&nbsp;</h2>



To investigate further into the effects of habitat on these species, the researchers initiated a field experiment, transplanting spider webs containing egg sacs from both species between urban and natural desert habitats.&nbsp;



The outcomes were fascinating: not only did the egg sacs in the natural habitats experience higher parasitism, but predation on the white widow spider egg sacs was also significantly more pronounced in the desert ecosystem, possibly due to birds, other spiders, or ants.&nbsp;



Intriguingly, none of the invasive brown widow's egg sacs in the transplant experiment fell prey to any predators, indicating that local desert predators may not recognize this newcomer as a viable food source.



<h2 id="h-advantages-in-urban-habitats">Advantages in urban habitats&nbsp;</h2>



This study raises crucial questions about the advantages invasive species gain when they colonize urban, fragmented habitats. These environments seemingly offer a suite of benefits, including reduced predator presence, which could contribute to invasive species thriving and persisting in unfamiliar territories.



Dr. Mowery's research was a collaborative effort, involving researchers Valeria Arabesky, Tamir Rozenberg, Prof. Yael Lubin, and Dr. Michal Segoli from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. The study was supported by a Zuckerman STEM Postdoctoral fellowship granted to Dr. Monica Mowery.



This research demonstrates the critical role that urbanization plays in shaping biological interactions. It also highlights the urgent need for continued research on the impacts of urban environments on our natural world.



<h2 id="h-more-about-the-brown-widow-spider">More about the brown widow spider</h2>



The brown widow spider (Latrodectus geometricus) is a venomous spider species belonging to the widow family (Theridiidae). It is closely related to the more well-known black widow spider (Latrodectus mactans) and is found in various parts of the world, including the southern United States, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, Africa, and parts of Asia.



<h3 id="h-key-characteristics">Key characteristics</h3>



<h4 id="h-appearance">Appearance</h4>



The brown widow spider is typically light to medium brown in color, with an orange or yellow hourglass-shaped marking on the underside of the abdomen. This hourglass marking is a characteristic feature shared with other widow spiders, although the coloration may vary.



<h4 id="h-web-structure">Web structure</h4>



Brown widow spiders create tangled, irregular, and messy webs, which are often built in sheltered areas like under rocks, eaves, outdoor furniture, and other human-made structures.



<h4 id="h-venom">Venom</h4>



Like other widow spiders, the brown widow possesses venom that is neurotoxic to its prey. While its venom is not as potent as that of the black widow, it can still cause painful reactions in humans. However, bites from brown widow spiders are rarely serious and usually only cause mild to moderate symptoms such as pain, redness, and swelling around the bite area.



<h4 id="h-behavior">Behavior</h4>



Brown widow spiders are generally shy and non-aggressive towards humans. They will usually only bite if they feel threatened or disturbed. The majority of bites occur when people accidentally come into contact with the spider, such as reaching into a dark space where the spider has constructed its web.



<h4 id="h-reproduction">Reproduction</h4>



Female brown widow spiders are larger than males. After mating, the female produces egg sacs that contain hundreds of eggs. The egg sacs are typically white to tan and are suspended within the web. The female guards the eggs until they hatch.



—-



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

Invasive brown widow spiders thrive in city landscapes

As urban habitats continue to expand, a new study suggests...

In the tropical depths of the Andean region, a secretive community of plants which has been lost to science for over a century has been rediscovered.&nbsp;



This remarkable discovery is credited to an international collaboration between botanists from Germany, Ecuador, Peru, Costa Rica, and a dedicated network of citizen scientists. The research is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.229.100082">PhytoKeys</a>.



<h2 id="h-blazing-stars">Blazing stars</h2>



The once elusive tropical plants belong to the genus Nasa, part of the Blazing Star family (Loasaceae). These flora have long posed challenges to the scientific community due to their delicate yet stinging leaves, which make them challenging to collect.&nbsp;



Furthermore, their fleeting seasonal appearances, coupled with their highly endemic nature, have largely kept them out of herbarium collections.



However, modern scientists are no longer solely dependent on traditional collections for plant specimens and knowledge.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-inaturalist">iNaturalist</h2>



The evolution of global networking and the widespread usage of free data repositories has led to a proliferation of easily accessible biodiversity data. This wealth of information includes geo-referenced occurrence records and photographic evidence.&nbsp;



A key resource in this new age of botanical discovery is the citizen science platform <a href="https://www.inaturalist.org/">iNaturalist</a>. This platform allows users to post photographic occurrence records, significantly aiding biodiversity scientists in the rediscovery of these tropical plants.



<h2 id="h-nasa-colanii">Nasa colanii&nbsp;</h2>



One such plant, Nasa colanii, was only recorded once prior to this study, in 1978. A breakthrough came in 2019 when the research team found a photograph of the plant.&nbsp;



Nasa colanii grows in the cloud <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/elephants-are-forest-gardeners-that-help-reduce-global-warming/">forest</a> in the buffer zone of Peru’s Cordillera de Colán National Sanctuary, a region located at an elevation of 2,605 meters, which likely explains its historical scarcity in botanical records.



<h2 id="h-nasa-ferox">Nasa ferox</h2>



An even more astonishing find was the rediscovery of a species, Nasa ferox, which had not been reported for an estimated 130 years until 2022. This reemergence came to light when iNaturalist users posted photographs confirming its existence.&nbsp;



Despite having been known for centuries, N. ferox only received its official scientific description in 2000. Experts were particularly surprised by its long absence given the park's location near the city of Cuenca in Ecuador, and its proximity to the well-traveled road 582.



“Given the location of the park close to the (Ecuadorian) city of Cuenca, and the fact that the important road 582 goes through the park makes it particularly surprising that the species has not been reported in such a long time, even more so if we consider the numerous botanical expeditions that have been carried out in the general region," wrote the researchers.&nbsp;



Moreover, only a small population of about ten fertile plants of N. ferox has been found, which were nestled in sheltered locations like rock crevices or at the base of shrubs. This observation underscores the elusive nature of these tropical plants and the intricacies involved in their discovery and study.



<h2 id="h-remarkable-species">Remarkable species&nbsp;</h2>



A major victory in the botanical world came with the rediscovery of Nasa humboldtiana subspecies humboldtiana, a variant that had been missing for a staggering 162 years. The research team finally located a specimen in a preserved fragment of montane Andean forest in the province of Chimborazo, Ecuador.



But the biggest excitement stems from the discovery of species once believed to be extinct in the wild. Two Nasa species, N. hastata and N. solaria, both hailing from the Peruvian Department of Lima, were thought to be extinct.&nbsp;



Past attempts to recollect these tropical plants near their original localities, where they were found about a century ago, were unsuccessful. It was only through the assistance of iNaturalist that these species were rediscovered and confirmed to be present in their respective regions.



<h2 id="h-more-exciting-discoveries">More exciting discoveries&nbsp;</h2>



One such example is Nasa hastata, which was rediscovered when photos of living plants were posted on iNaturalist by the sister of one of the authors.&nbsp;



Further investigations revealed a handful of plants found at two sites, about seven kilometers apart. Similarly, a few dozen plants of N. solaria were found in four small populations in remnants of forest that once spanned larger areas in this region.



Moreover, information submitted to iNaturalist unearthed crucial details about another species, Nasa ramirezii, providing the first photographs of living plants from Ecuador and pinpointing their exact location.



“All these discoveries serve as a reminder that even well-studied regions harbor diversity that can so easily remain overlooked and unexplored, and point to the role of botanists in documenting biodiversity which is an essential prerequisite for any conservation effort," said Tilo Henning, the lead author from the Leibniz Center for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF).



<h2 id="h-implications-of-the-study">Implications of the study</h2>



The researchers further emphasized the potential of these collaborative efforts in their study, stating: “Hopefully, as more scientists and members of the public contribute to the database, and more professionals get involved in the curation, more undescribed or ‘long lost’ taxa will be found. Our examples of the rediscovery of Nasa ferox after 130 years and Nasa hastata after 100 years, both ‘found’ on iNaturalist underscore this point.”



In conclusion, the collaborative efforts of international botanists and citizen scientists, aided by the power of digital platforms like iNaturalist, have breathed new life into the study of long-lost plants, revealing an unexplored realm of botanical diversity. This revolutionary approach underlines the significant potential of global networks and community science in biodiversity conservation.



Image: Flower of Nasa humboldtiana subspecies humboldtiana



Image Credit: X. Cornejo



—-



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

Lost tropical plants rediscovered after more than 100 years

In the tropical depths of the Andean region, a secretive...

A prediction from scientists at the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/english/">University of Copenhagen</a> presents a somewhat paradoxical outcome of our continued reliance on greenhouse gas-emitting energy sources. The experts warn that critical ocean currents - which carry heat, cold, and precipitation between the tropics and the far reaches of the Atlantic region - may come to a grinding halt around 2060 if greenhouse gas <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/epa-plans-to-eliminate-greenhouse-gas-emissions-from-power-plants-by-2040/">emissions</a> continue at the current rate. 



This latest calculation contradicts earlier reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).



<h2 id="h-atlantic-ocean-current-system">Atlantic ocean current system</h2>



As Europe braces for the impacts of climate change, one might envision its future to be scorching. However, this recent study from researchers at the Niels Bohr Institute and the Department of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen paints a different picture.&nbsp;



The experts forecast that the Thermohaline Circulation, or the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), the ocean current system that regulates the distribution of heat and cold between the North Atlantic region and the tropics, will cease to function entirely if the rate of greenhouse gas emissions remains unchanged.



<h2 id="h-shutting-down-the-amoc">Shutting down the AMOC</h2>



By leveraging sophisticated statistical tools and analyzing ocean temperature data spanning the last century and a half, the researchers determined that, with a 95 percent certainty, the AMOC will collapse sometime between 2025 and 2095.&nbsp;



The most likely time frame for this dramatic event is 34 years from now, in 2057, an event that will pose substantial challenges, from amplified warming in the tropics to a surge in storminess in the North Atlantic region.



"Shutting down the AMOC can have very serious consequences for Earth's climate, for example, by changing how heat and precipitation are distributed globally," said Professor Peter Ditlevsen from the Niels Bohr Institute.



"While a cooling of Europe may seem less severe as the globe as a whole becomes warmer and heat waves occur more frequently, this shutdown will contribute to an increased warming of the tropics, where rising temperatures have already given rise to challenging living conditions."



"Our result underscores the importance of reducing global greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible."



<h2 id="h-ipcc-report-findings">IPCC report findings</h2>



These calculations, recently published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-39810-w">Nature Communications</a>, throw into question the conclusions of the latest IPCC report, which deemed a sudden change in the thermohaline circulation unlikely within this century based on climate model simulations.



The researchers derived their predictions from early warning signals exhibited by ocean currents as they begin to destabilize. The appearance of these Early Warning Signals for the Thermohaline Circulation has been reported before. However, it is the recent advancements in statistical methods that have finally made it possible to predict the precise timing of a potential collapse.



Focusing on sea surface temperatures in a particular region of the North Atlantic from 1870 to the present day, the researchers determined these temperatures to be "fingerprints" of the AMOC's strength, which has been directly measured only in the past 15 years.



<h2 id="h-collapse-of-the-thermohaline-circulation">Collapse of the Thermohaline Circulation</h2>



"Using new and improved statistical tools, we’ve made calculations that provide a more robust estimate of when a collapse of the Thermohaline Circulation is most likely to occur, something we had not been able to do before," explained Professor Susanne Ditlevsen of the Department of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen.



The thermohaline circulation has remained in its current mode since the last ice age, during which it had collapsed. This collapse, known as Dansgaard-Oeschger events, observed in ice cores from the Greenlandic ice sheet, has occurred 25 times in association with ice age climates.&nbsp;



These events were accompanied by extreme climate changes, with temperatures shifting 10-15 degrees within a decade. In contrast, climate change today is characterized by a 1.5 degree warming over a century. With the threat of another such collapse, the urgency to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions becomes all the more critical.



—-



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

Climate paradox: Ocean current collapse could plunge Europe into cold

A prediction from scientists at the University of Copenhagen presents...

Combined SPHERE and ALMA image of material orbiting V960 Mon

Scientists have shared a breathtaking image that offers new insights into the mysterious processes of planet birth. The image, obtained from the European Southern Observatory (ESO), hints at the formation of giant planets similar in scale to Jupiter.&nbsp;



The teams employed the use of two monumental instruments, ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT) and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), to observe large, dusty clumps on the verge of collapse near a young star - a precursor to the birth of a planet.



<h2 id="h-captivating-discovery">Captivating discovery&nbsp;</h2>



"This discovery is truly captivating as it marks the very first detection of clumps around a young star that have the potential to give rise to giant planets,” said Alice Zurlo, a researcher at Chile's Universidad Diego Portales. The discovery signifies a major advance in our understanding of the origin of heavenly bodies.



Researchers have been analyzing an enthralling image captured by the Spectro-Polarimetric High-contrast Exoplanet REsearch (SPHERE) instrument installed on ESO's VLT. The image reveals intricate details of material in the vicinity of a young star, V960 Mon, which is situated over 5,000 light-years away in the constellation Monoceros.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-dramatic-outburst">Dramatic outburst&nbsp;</h2>



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-stars-scientists-discover-a-new-type-of-star-powered-by-dark-matter/">star</a> garnered significant scientific interest when its brightness suddenly surged more than twenty-fold in 2014. Subsequent SPHERE observations, taken after this dramatic "outburst,"&nbsp; unveiled the material orbiting V960 Mon as it began to assemble into an elaborate series of spiral arms that span distances greater than our entire Solar System.



This remarkable discovery prompted astronomers to revisit archived observations of the same system, captured by ALMA. The VLT observations delved into the surface of the dusty material around the star, while ALMA could probe deeper into its structure.&nbsp;



“With ALMA, it became apparent that the spiral arms are undergoing fragmentation, resulting in the formation of clumps with masses akin to those of planets,” Zurlo explained.



<h2 id="h-planet-birth">Planet birth</h2>



Planet formation has long been thought to occur through one of two processes: "core accretion," which involves the agglomeration of dust grains, or "gravitational instability," which involves the contraction and collapse of large fragments of star-bound material. Although prior research has provided evidence for core accretion, observational support for gravitational instability has been much rarer.



Yet, this seems to be changing. “No one had ever seen a real observation of gravitational instability happening at planetary scales - until now,” said study leader Philipp Weber, a researcher at the University of Santiago, Chile.&nbsp;



"Our group has been searching for signs of how planets form for over ten years, and we couldn't be more thrilled about this incredible discovery," said study co-author Sebastián Pérez.



This investigation, published in <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ace186">The Astrophysical Journal Letters</a>, is just the beginning. ESO's Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), currently under construction in Chile's Atacama Desert, will facilitate the exploration of this newly discovered planetary system in unprecedented detail.&nbsp;



“The ELT will enable the exploration of the chemical complexity surrounding these clumps, helping us find out more about the composition of the material from which potential planets are forming,” said Weber.



<h2 id="h-more-about-planet-formation">More about planet formation</h2>



The process of planet formation, also known as planetary accretion, is a complex one that happens over millions to billions of years. Here is a simplified explanation of the process:



<h3 id="h-nebula">Nebula</h3>



Everything starts with a nebula, which is a massive cloud of dust and gas. The nebula could be the remnants of a dead star or it could just be a dense area in space where the dust and gas are naturally accumulating.



<h3 id="h-protostar">Protostar</h3>



The nebula collapses under its own gravity, causing the material to start spinning and form a disc. In the center of this disc, a protostar is formed, which will eventually become a star.



<h3 id="h-protoplanetary-disk">Protoplanetary disk</h3>



Around the protostar, the rest of the material forms a flat, spinning disk known as a protoplanetary disk. The materials in this disk include tiny, solid particles of dust and rock that collide and stick together.



<h3 id="h-planetesimals">Planetesimals</h3>



As these particles continue to collide and stick together, they form larger and larger bodies. When they reach about a kilometer in size, their gravitational pull becomes strong enough to draw in more material. These kilometer-sized objects are known as planetesimals.



<h3 id="h-protoplanets">Protoplanets</h3>



As planetesimals continue to collide and merge, they eventually form protoplanets. Protoplanets are basically baby planets – they're large enough to have a strong gravitational pull, but they're still growing.



<h3 id="h-planets">Planets</h3>



Over millions to billions of years, protoplanets continue to collide and merge until they form full-fledged planets. Some planets, like Earth, also undergo additional processes like core formation and atmospheric development.



Please note that this is a simplified explanation and there's still a lot that scientists don't know about planet formation. For example, the exact process through which small particles of dust and rock stick together to form larger bodies is still a topic of active research.&nbsp;



Image Credit: ESO/ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/Weber et al.



—-



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

Stunning revelation: New image sheds light on the birth of giant planets

Scientists have shared a breathtaking image that offers new insights...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/methane-emissions-are-higher-than-previously-estimated/">Methane</a> is a highly potent greenhouse gas - with a Global Warming Potential (GWP) 83 times higher than carbon dioxide over two decades and 30 times higher over a century – accounting for nearly a third of modern warming. Atmospheric methane concentrations are increasing at an alarming rate, currently being almost 2.6 times higher than in pre-industrial times.&nbsp;



Anthropogenic methane emissions are the leading cause of this overall rise, while natural sources make a substantial contribution as well.&nbsp;



According to a recent study published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2303974120">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a> (PNAS), changes in atmospheric chemistry resulting from emissions of different gases also play a significant part in the global methane budget.



<h2 id="h-focus-of-the-study">Focus of the study</h2>



The experts investigated a mechanism whereby blowing mineral dust combines with sea-spray to form Mineral Dust-Sea Spray Aerosol (MDSA), which is activated by sunlight to produce an abundance of chlorine atoms that oxidize atmospheric methane and tropospheric ozone through photocatalysis. 



MDSA appears to be largely composed of blowing dust from the Sahara Desert mixed with sea salt aerosol from the ocean, and is the leading source of atmospheric chlorine over the North Atlantic.



The researchers combined global modeling with laboratory and field observations, including air samples from Barbados highlighting seasonal depletion of the stable isotope&nbsp;13CO - an anomaly that puzzled scientists worldwide for over two decades.&nbsp;



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



Although it was known that changes in&nbsp;13CO and C18O were caused by chlorine atoms reacting with methane, and that carbon monoxide is the first stable product in atmospheric methane oxidation, the known sources of atmospheric chlorine could not account for the observed degree of depletion in&nbsp;13CO.&nbsp;



In the current study, by using a global 3-D chemistry-climate model (CAM-Chem), the experts discovered that, when increased chlorine from the MDSA mechanism was incorporated, it could explain the Barbados data and the&nbsp;13CO depletion.



According to the scientists, if the MDSA from the North Atlantic is extrapolated globally, and its efficiency is similar in other regions – two aspects which are not yet well understood and require further research – global atmospheric chlorine concentrations are likely to be 40 percent higher than previously thought.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-natural-methane-emissions">Natural methane emissions&nbsp;</h2>



Factoring this into global methane estimations could change our understanding of the relative proportions of methane sources, suggesting possible increases in emissions from biological sources such as agriculture and wetlands.



“Methane emissions from biological sources such as wetlands and agriculture may be growing as global temperatures rise,”&nbsp;said lead author Maarten van Herpen, a managing director at the <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/acacia-impact-innovation-bv">Acacia Impact Innovation BV</a>. 



“But recent increases in dust from North Africa have probably increased methane oxidation in the atmosphere, partly masking the growth in biological methane emissions. Adjusting atmospheric modeling to take this into account may show that methane emissions from biological sources are rising even faster than we thought.”



<h2 id="h-further-research-is-needed">Further research is needed&nbsp;</h2>



“When these findings are incorporated into methane budgets it is likely to increase our assessment of how much methane comes from biological sources,” added co-author Matthew Johnson, an atmospheric chemistry scientist at the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/english/">University of Copenhagen</a>.&nbsp;



“While methane oxidation from MDSA is relatively small in terms of global methane, our data shows it is causing large changes in the abundance of&nbsp;13C in methane, which is used to determine source contributions.&nbsp;The past few years have seen atmospheric methane increase at an alarming rate, more than ever before, and it is important to understand the cause. Models need to take the revised chlorine isotope shift into account to get a clear picture of the increase in biological methane, which has been identified as a critical tipping point.”



Further research is needed to clarify how the MDSA mechanism operates in the North Atlantic as well as in other parts of the world. “Our current research is focused on getting a better understanding of what exactly influences how much methane MDSA particles are removing from the atmosphere." 



"To do that, we are analyzing air samples from across the North Atlantic, provided by atmospheric observatories and commercial ships. Seafarers are helping advance our research by filling flasks with air as they cross through the African dust cloud. We have collected 500 flasks so far. Early results are looking very encouraging, but we need a full year of data before we can draw conclusions,” van Herpen explained.



—-



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



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

African dust and sea spray may help tackle atmospheric methane

Methane is a highly potent greenhouse gas - with a...

In an era where snacking has become an ingrained part of our daily routine, one question continues to generate heated debate amongst health professionals and the public alike: is snacking bad for your health? The answer, it seems, hinges on not only the types of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planet-friendly-foods-can-reduce-your-risk-of-mortality-by-25-percent/">foods</a> we reach for, but also the timing of our snack breaks.&nbsp;



Recent studies suggest that more than 70% of people snack at least twice a day, transforming the perception of snacking from a dietary taboo to a widespread eating pattern.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-snack-quality-and-timing">Snack quality and timing</h2>



A new study from <a href="https://www.kcl.ac.uk/">King's College London</a> involving over 1,000 participants has investigated the potential health impacts of snacking. For the researchers, the goal was to scrutinize the extent to which snack quality and timing could influence health outcomes.



Dr. Kate Bermingham, a postdoctoral fellow at King's College London and the lead researcher in this study, clarified the team's findings: “Our study showed that the quality of snacking is more important than the quantity or frequency of snacking, thus choosing high quality snacks over highly processed snacks is likely beneficial. Timing is also important, with late night snacking being unfavorable for health.”



The findings of the study were unveiled at <a href="https://nutrition.org/n23/">NUTRITION 2023</a>, the flagship annual meeting of the <a href="https://nutrition.org/">American Society for Nutrition</a>.



<h2 id="h-zoe-predict-project">ZOE PREDICT project</h2>



The study is embedded in the ZOE PREDICT project, an initiative that coordinates multiple extensive, comprehensive nutritional research studies. This project's primary objective is to shed light on the nuances of how and why individuals respond differently to the same foods.



Bermingham noted the scarcity of research on snacking, despite its significant contribution to our daily energy intake, typically accounting for 20-25%.&nbsp;



“PREDICT followed a large number of people and captured detailed information on their snacking behaviors, allowing this in-depth exploration of snacking on health," said Bermingham.



<h2 id="h-how-the-study-was-conducted">How the study was conducted&nbsp;</h2>



To map out the intricate connection between snack patterns and health indicators, the researchers used data from over 1,000 UK participants involved in the ZOE PREDICT 1 study. 



They focused primarily on the correlation between snacking quantity, quality, and timing with blood fats and insulin levels - key indicators of cardiometabolic health.



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



The comprehensive analysis indicated that snacks rich in nutrients relative to their caloric value - what the researchers referred to as higher-quality foods - were correlated with more favorable blood fat and insulin responses.&nbsp;



On the other hand, late-night snacking, which extends the daily eating window and curtails the overnight fasting period, was associated with less favorable blood glucose and lipid levels. Interestingly, there was no discernible connection between snack frequency, calorie intake, food quantity, and any of the analyzed health measures.



Bermingham highlighted a significant finding that could pave the way for future dietary interventions: "We observed only weak relationships between snack quality and the remainder of the diet, which highlights snacking as an independent modifiable dietary feature that could be targeted to improve health."&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-healthy-snacking-ideas">Healthy snacking ideas</h2>



Snacking can play an important role in a healthy diet, as long as you choose nutrient-rich foods and keep an eye on portion sizes.&nbsp;



Snacks can prevent overeating at meal times and throughout the day, provide additional nutrients, and keep your energy levels consistent. Here are some healthy suggestions:



<h3 id="h-fruit-and-yogurt">Fruit and yogurt</h3>



Fresh fruits are rich in fiber, antioxidants, and a variety of vitamins and minerals. Pairing them with a protein-rich yogurt can make you feel fuller for longer.



<h3 id="h-nuts-and-seeds">Nuts and seeds</h3>



They are excellent sources of fiber, protein, and healthy fats. Almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and chia seeds are some great options. Be careful with portion sizes, as these foods are high in calories.



<h3 id="h-vegetable-sticks-with-hummus">Vegetable sticks with hummus</h3>



Vegetables like carrots, bell peppers, cucumber, and celery are full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Hummus, made from chickpeas, provides protein and healthy fats.



<h3 id="h-whole-grain-toast-with-avocado">Whole grain toast with avocado</h3>



Avocado is high in monounsaturated fats, fiber, and various important nutrients. Whole grain bread contains complex carbohydrates that provide you with steady energy.



<h3 id="h-boiled-eggs">Boiled eggs</h3>



Eggs are an excellent source of protein and also contain many important nutrients, including vitamin B12 and choline.



<h3 id="h-smoothies">Smoothies</h3>



Homemade smoothies can be a nutrition powerhouse, combining fruits, vegetables, yogurt, and other nutritious ingredients. Avoid adding too much sugar.



<h3 id="h-air-popped-popcorn">Air-popped popcorn</h3>



This is a whole grain food that's high in fiber and low in calories, provided you don't overload it with butter or other high-calorie toppings.



<h3 id="h-dark-chocolate">Dark chocolate</h3>



Choose a chocolate with at least 70% cocoa. It's high in antioxidants and can satisfy a sweet craving in a healthier way.



—-



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

Smart snacking: Quality and timing make all the difference

In an era where snacking has become an ingrained part...

Rabbit,Fish,(chimaera,Monstrosa),In,Trondheimfjord

A team of intrepid researchers from the University of Florida and the Seattle Aquarium are poised to embark on a unique expedition this summer. Plunging a hundred meters beneath the surface of the Pacific Northwest's waters, they aim to unravel the enigmas surrounding a denizen of the deep - the elusive ghost shark, also known as chimaeras.



The scientists, utilizing remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs), will be hunting for the nesting grounds of a specific variety of ghost shark known as the Pacific spotted ratfish, or Hydrolagus colliei. Often found haunting the ocean floor, these spectral creatures have a mystique that has intrigued scientists for years.



Gareth Fraser, an assistant professor of biology at the <a href="https://www.ufl.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Florida</a>, is leading this daring expedition. 



“We know very little about these elusive relatives of sharks and even less about their spawning habits and embryonic development,” Fraser said. He added that the goal of this mission is to use ROVs to discover where these ghostly sharks lay their eggs.



Ghost sharks, or chimaeras as they are formally called, have been separated from their shark and ray relatives by a chasm of nearly 400 million years of evolution. 



<h2 id="h-what-do-ghost-sharks-look-like">What do ghost sharks look like?</h2>



This mysterious <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/leopard-seals-feed-on-sharks-in-new-zealand/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">group of fish</a>, often relegated to the ocean's murky depths, remain one of the most understudied and enigmatic creatures. However, during the summer months, these chimaeras often frequent the more shallow waters of the Salish Sea along Washington's coast to breed and feed.



Understanding the developmental processes of the ghost sharks could help unravel the secrets of their unique biological characteristics, or morphologies. Ghost sharks are known for their large, round, rabbit-like eyes that help them navigate in the dark. They also possess ever-growing tooth plates, much like a rodent, earning them the nickname ratfish. 



Interestingly, while shark skin is covered in teeth, ghost sharks have smooth skin. Male chimaeras boast a peculiar bulb on their forehead. This is called a tenaculum, which sprouts spiky teeth that resemble those of a shark.



Fraser elucidated, “We think they use this head clasper like a second ‘jaw’ on their head to bite down and attach to the female during copulation. Ghost sharks are a very strange group of shark relatives whose biology makes them a bit other-worldly. When we get a chance to find these obscure fish where they feed and breed, we have to go for it.”



<h2>Studying these creatures is no easy task</h2>



Despite recent success in locating adult chimaeras through deep-water trawling projects, the study of mature fish has offered limited insights into their developmental processes. The upcoming exploration for ghost shark nesting areas this summer is groundbreaking - a first-of-its-kind for this species.



“Last year, we found different stages of the fish, from newly hatched babies to fully mature adults. This year, we’re going back to find their nursery grounds,” said Fraser.



The expedition was funded through a National Science Foundation grant and Fraser's UF start-up grant. The scientists also aim to unearth clues about the origins of teeth. This knowledge could potentially unlock valuable insights for regenerative dental research in humans.



Setting out from Seattle on June 11, the team commenced their four-day expedition from a pier. The researchers piloted the ROV, essentially an underwater drone, about 10 meters deep. From there, they scoured the ocean floor for ghost shark nesting sites. 



The drone, laden with cameras offering 360-degree views, will send back images to construct a virtual reality depiction of the ocean's depths. This will offer scientists an immersive view of the ghost shark's environment.



Fraser said, “This will take us to the waters off Washington state, so that we can swim with these ghost sharks virtually and get an up-close, panoramic view of their environment.”



For Karly Cohen, a UF biology postdoctoral fellow in the Fraser Lab, who originally identified the potential ghost shark nursing sites, this project is a golden opportunity to bolster conservation efforts. 



Cohen remarked, “It’s important to learn about these understudied deep-water fish and their reproductive strategies. Ultimately, we want to protect this really charismatic species.”



<h2>More about chimaeras</h2>



Chimaeras, also known as ghost sharks, ratfish, or rabbit fish, are a unique group of fish belonging to the subclass Holocephali. They share the class Chondrichthyes with sharks and rays. This article offers a detailed examination of their unique characteristics, habitat, reproduction, and scientific significance.



The name "chimaera" originates from Greek mythology, referring to a creature composed of parts from various animals. The diverse physical attributes of chimaeras reflect this mythical association. They exhibit traits akin to several distinct animals. 



For instance, their large, rabbit-like eyes, rodent-esque incisor teeth, and smooth, scaleless skin distinguish them from other marine species.



Chimaeras have several characteristics distinguishing them from their shark and ray relatives. Among these, they possess a permanent notochord, a feature present in the earliest vertebrates. Male chimaeras also display a distinctive adaptation for reproduction: retractable sexual organs on their foreheads.



<h3>Habitat and diet</h3>



Chimaeras frequent temperate ocean floors, descending to depths of up to 2,600 meters. Few species venture into shallower depths below 200 meters. 



The expansive, flat heads of most species facilitate the scanning of the seafloor for food. Their diet mainly consists of small benthic invertebrates.



<h3>Physical characteristics</h3>



Chimaeras are characterized by an elongated body shape, with a bulky head and a slender, whip-like tail. Some species bear a venomous spine preceding the dorsal fin. 



Their large pectoral fins resemble wings. Some species employ these in a bird-like manner for swimming, appearing to "fly" through the water.



<h3>Reproduction</h3>



Chimaeras are oviparous, or egg-laying creatures. Some chimaeras produce eggs encased in a leathery shell, often with extended filamentous tendrils. 



The males display unique mating behavior. They utilize a pair of claspers (modified pelvic fins) for the transfer of sperm to the female during copulation.



<h3>Evolution and relation to sharks and rays</h3>



While grouped with sharks and rays under the class Chondrichthyes, chimaeras diverged from these relatives approximately 400 million years ago. 



Similar to sharks and rays, chimaeras have skeletons composed of cartilage instead of bone.



<h3>Scientific significance</h3>



Chimaeras remain relatively understudied due to their deep-sea habitats, despite their unique traits and evolutionary history. As a subject of scientific interest, they offer fascinating insights into marine life's diversity and development. 



Their specialized characteristics, from their mating behavior to their cartilaginous skeletal structure, provide valuable opportunities for further exploration and research.



<h3>Conservation</h3>



As of 2021, conservation efforts primarily focus on expanding our understanding of these elusive creatures. The deep-water habitats of chimaeras render them relatively inaccessible. 



This fact complicates scientific efforts to study their life cycles, population dynamics, and vulnerability to human activities such as deep-sea fishing. Conservation strategies will benefit from comprehensive research, enhancing our ability to protect these intriguing species.



In summary, chimaeras, with their enigmatic lifestyle and unique biological attributes, represent an exciting frontier for marine biology and evolutionary study. Although we have much to learn about these ghostly denizens of the deep, their existing data opens up a window into the vast diversity of life present within the world's oceans.

Ghost sharks – unraveling the mysteries of these strange and elusive sea monsters

A team of intrepid researchers from the University of Florida...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



---



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



---



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



---



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



---



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



---



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



---



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



---



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



---



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



---



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

News coming your way