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The bacteria, fungi, and other gut microbes colonizing an animal’s intestines influence everything from digestion to immunity, yet scientists still know surprisingly little about how everyday foods reshape this inner ecosystem. 



A new investigation shows that switching the dominant source of dietary protein can upend both membership and metabolic duties of the gut microbiome in a single week.



This study, led by <a href="https://www.ncsu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">North Carolina State University</a> and published by Alfredo Blakeley-Ruiz and colleagues, may help unravel why modern diets are often linked to chronic gastrointestinal disorders and could point the way toward new therapeutic or preventive strategies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-gut-s-response-to-protein">The gut's response to protein </h2>



To isolate the effect of protein <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eating-too-much-protein-greatly-increases-heart-disease-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">source</a> alone, the researchers fed mice a series of highly defined diets that were identical in fat, carbohydrate, fiber and mineral content but differed in a single component: every seven days the sole protein came either from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eggs-may-slow-memory-decline-and-support-brain-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">egg</a> white, brown rice, soy or yeast. 



After each dietary phase, the team harvested intestinal contents and applied an “integrated metagenomics-metaproteomics” pipeline.



This combination of DNA sequencing and high-resolution mass spectrometry simultaneously identifies which microbial species are present and which proteins those microbes are producing - offering a rare window into the community’s actual functions rather than its potential.



“There’s something wrong with what we’re eating today, and we are not close to knowing what that is,” Blakeley-Ruiz noted. “Our lab wanted to know how different diets impact what lives in the gut, and to learn something about what those microbes are doing, functionally, in response to that diet.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reshuffling-of-microbial-communities">Reshuffling of microbial communities</h2>



The results revealed striking volatility. Each new protein source triggered a noticeable turnover in microbial membership, but three diets - egg white, brown rice, and yeast - drove the most dramatic transformations.



“The composition of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gut-bacteria-have-very-clever-ways-of-supporting-human-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gut microbiome</a> significantly changed every time we changed the protein source,” Blakeley-Ruiz explained. 



Not only did some formerly minor species bloom to dominance, but entire metabolic pathways switched on or off, indicating that the microbes were quickly retooling their biochemical machinery to exploit the new nutrient landscape.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-amino-acids-and-complex-sugars">Amino acids and complex sugars</h2>



When the scientists compared microbial proteins across diets, two functional categories showed the largest swings. 



The first, amino-acid metabolism, was expected: because proteins are built from amino acids, microbes respond to a fresh influx by either manufacturing more amino-acid-processing enzymes or dialing production down if the amino acids arrive pre-made.



In mice fed egg white or brown rice, the team saw a pronounced increase in enzymes that break down amino acids, suggesting that gut microbes were scavenging these building blocks directly from the diet rather than synthesizing them on their own. 



Blakeley-Ruiz cautioned that such degradation makes intuitive sense but may have hidden consequences, because certain amino-acid by-products can become toxic or influence brain signaling through the gut–brain axis.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dramatic-changes-in-the-gut-microbiome">Dramatic changes in the gut microbiome </h2>



The second major change surprised the team: large shifts in enzymes that degrade glycans, the branching chains of sugar molecules that decorate many proteins. Diets rich in soy, rice, yeast and especially egg white boosted the expression of glycan-cutting enzymes, sometimes dramatically.



“This could be really meaningful, health-wise,” Blakeley-Ruiz said. In the egg-white group, a single bacterial species surged and switched on a broad suite of glycan-degradation genes. 



Laboratory tests showed this bacterium expressed a similar enzyme profile when grown in the presence of mucin, the slippery protein-sugar mixture that coats and protects the intestinal lining.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-erosion-of-the-gut-s-protective-barrier">Erosion of the gut’s protective barrier</h2>



Because mucin’s sugars resemble those on dietary proteins, microbes that learn to chew through egg-white glycans might also erode the host’s mucin layer, compromising the gut barrier and allowing inflammation or pathogens to take hold.



“I’m excited to explore this potential connection between the expression of glycan degrading enzymes in the egg white diet and the breakdown of mucin by the gut microbiome in future studies,” Blakeley-Ruiz said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-directions">Future research directions </h2>



Manuel Kleiner, associate professor of plant and microbial biology and co-corresponding author, emphasized that the purified diets used here are intentionally artificial. Real meals include multiple protein sources and additional nutrients that could buffer or blunt the effects seen in mice. 



Nonetheless, the work spotlights egg white as an “extreme” modulator of microbial behavior and sets the stage for follow-up experiments that mix proteins in more realistic proportions.



“Our study shows not only which bacterial species are in the gut microbiome and their abundance, but also what they are actually doing,” Kleiner explained. 



By mapping the enzyme repertoires that microbes deploy for different proteins, the researchers have created a catalog of metabolic responses that future projects can mine to design precision diets or probiotics.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nutrition-that-supports-gut-health">Nutrition that supports gut health</h2>



The findings arrive amid a surge of interest in how diet shapes the gut microbiome and, by extension, human health. Gastrointestinal diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease afflict millions worldwide, and many patients report symptom flares linked to particular foods. 



However, mechanistic explanations have been elusive. By revealing that protein source alone can rewire microbial communities in days - altering amino-acid breakdown and potentially stripping protective mucus - the NC State team provides new clues to this puzzle.



Further studies in animals and humans could determine whether certain protein-rich <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/contamination-crisis-microplastics-found-in-88-of-protein-sources/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">foods</a> contribute to disease by nudging the microbiome toward mucus-degrading, toxin-producing pathways, and whether alternative proteins or tailored fiber supplements can steer the gut back to a healthier state.



According to the scientists, there shouldn’t be a one-size-fits-all approach to dietary protein. Understanding how specific proteins influence microbial metabolism is a first step toward personalized nutrition that supports, rather than undermines, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gut-health-may-be-the-key-to-anxiety-relief/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gut health</a>.



The study is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ismej/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ismejo/wraf048/8089909">ISME Journal</a>.



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What protein-packed diets are really doing to your gut

The bacteria, fungi, and other gut microbes colonizing an animal’s intestines influence everything from digestion to immunity, yet scientists still know surprisingly little about how everyday foods reshape this inner ecosystem. A new investigation shows that switching the dominant source of dietary protein can upend both membership and metabolic duties of the gut microbiome in a single week. This study, led by North Carolina State University and published by Alfredo Blakeley-Ruiz and colleagues, may help unravel why modern diets are often linked to chronic gastrointestinal disorders and...

The latest <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/">Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</a> (IPCC) report was released today, and the message is abundantly clear - climate action is urgently needed to keep our planet habitable. The message is also somewhat hopeful, as the experts say there are feasible and effective options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to human-caused climate change that are available now.



Erin Coughlan de Perez, a lead author of one of the underlying analyses, says the IPCC report serves as a stark reminder that climate change is driving humanitarian crises and human suffering around the world.&nbsp;



"The window is closing, but the report also shows that it is not too late yet. It is time for the international community to take urgent action to reduce emissions to stay below the 1.5 degrees warming limit and work with communities to adapt and prepare for climate change impacts."



While the 1.5-degree target seemed like a major hurdle when the 2018 IPCC report was released, the challenge has become even greater over the last five years as heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions have only increased. The experts say that the pace and scale of what has been done are insufficient to tackle climate change.



Climate warming is causing brutal weather extremes such as deadly storms and heatwaves, and these extremes will become much worse with every small increase in the average global temperature. The risks of food and water insecurity are also rising alongside temperatures.



The authors emphasize that the impacts of climate change are not evenly distributed, and the most vulnerable people are often hit the hardest. They say that urgent action is needed for a sustainable, equitable world.



“Climate justice is crucial because those who have contributed least to climate change are being disproportionately affected,” said Aditi Mukherji, one of the 93 authors of this Synthesis Report. “Almost half of the world’s population lives in regions that are highly vulnerable to climate change. In the last decade, deaths from floods, droughts and storms were 15 times higher in highly vulnerable regions."



According to the report, in order to limit global warming to 1.5°C, emissions will need to be cut by almost half by 2030. The experts say that accelerated action to adapt to climate change is essential to close the gap between existing adaptation and what is needed.&nbsp;



"What is interesting about this report is that we usually talk about different parts of the climate crisis separately - reducing emissions, adapting to save lives, or responding to losses and damages," said Coughlan de Perez.



"This report acknowledges that we need to do everything at once, and it gives a roadmap for how we can achieve this. That roadmap is not a simple one, where we just make a few minor changes and keep going with the status quo. Instead, it is a call to transformation - fundamentally altering society to achieve climate-resilient development."



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



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IPCC: Climate action urgently needed to end human suffering

The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report was...

The link between obesity and severe Covid-19 infection may be explained by an underactive immune response, according to a study by scientists at the <a href="https://www.citiid.cam.ac.uk/">Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease</a> (CITIID) and Wellcome Sanger Institute. The researchers demonstrated that immune cells show a blunted inflammatory response in patients who are obese.&nbsp;



Nearly 6.9 million people have died from Covid-19, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-reveals-link-between-air-pollution-and-obesity/">obesity</a> is one of the major risk factors for severe infection. However, the underlying cause of the link between obesity and severe Covid has not been clear.&nbsp;



“During the pandemic, the majority of younger patients I saw on the COVID wards were obese. Given what we know about obesity, if you’d asked me why this was the case, I would have said that it was most likely due to excessive inflammation. What we found was the absolute opposite," explained Professor Menna Clatworthy.



The researchers analyzed blood and lung samples from 13 obese patients with severe cases of Covid that required mechanical ventilation. While studying the activity of cells in the samples, the experts discovered that the obese patients had underactive immune and inflammatory responses in their lungs.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“This was really surprising and unexpected," said Professor Clatworthy. "Across every cell type we looked at, we found that the genes responsible for the classical antiviral response were less active. They were completely muted.”



According to the researchers, the findings could have important implications both for the treatment of COVID-19 and in the design of clinical trials to test new treatments.



“What we’ve shown is that not all patients are the same, so we might need to tailor treatments," said study co-author Dr. Conway Morris. "Obese subjects might need less anti-inflammatory treatments and potentially more help for their immune system.”



The study is published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1164/rccm.202204-0751OC">American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine</a>.



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



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Why does obesity increase the risk of severe Covid infection?

The link between obesity and severe Covid-19 infection may be...

On March 20, 2023, at 5:24 p.m. ET, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/spring-finally-arrives-this-weekend/">spring</a> begins in the Northern Hemisphere, marked by the so-called spring, or vernal, equinox – which, along with the autumn equinox in September, is one of the two moments in the year when the sun is directly above the equator. With days becoming longer and the weather warmer, flowers and trees starting to bloom, and birds and butterflies migrating back northward along the path of the sun, this period is celebrated by many cultures as a time of renewal and rebirth.&nbsp;



The word “equinox” comes from Latin, through the juxtaposition of the terms aequus (equal) and nox (night), signifying that days and nights are equal in length. While for our ancestors, whose timekeeping was less precise than ours, days and nights did seem perfectly equal at this time of the year, today we know that in fact we actually get a bit more daylight than darkness at the equinox, particularly at higher latitudes, since it takes the sun longer to rise and set the closer we get to the poles.



According to the website&nbsp;<a href="https://earthsky.org/?p=106531#:~:text=The%20March%202021%20equinox%20happens,autumn%20in%20the%20Southern%20Hemisphere.">EarthSky</a>, for sky watchers equinoxes are a perfect time to orient themselves since they are the only two times a year the sun rises due east and sets due west everywhere on our planet. As they put it, the equinox is “a good day for finding east and west from your yard or other favorite site for watching the sky. Just go outside around sunset or sunrise and notice the location of the sun on the horizon with respect to familiar landmarks.” 



Moreover, in both hemispheres, the sun sets faster during the equinoxes, since it hits the horizon at the steepest possible angle from the Earth. By contrast, during the winter and summer solstices, the Earth’s tilt is the most extreme, and the sun sets more slowly.



Since thousands of years, people all over the world have celebrated the spring equinox. For instance, at the Mayan site&nbsp;Chichén Itzá in today’s Mexico, the massive pyramid El Castillo was aligned in such a way that a shadow outlining the form of a so-called “snake of light” (Kukulcán) descends the steps at the equinoxes, while in England, Druids and Wiccans used to gather at Stonehenge before dawn to welcome to return of spring.



Nowadays, many cultures around the world have special celebrations at the equinox, such as the Persian New Year - also known as Nauryz, Navruz, or Nowrouz (meaning “new day”) - when people honor new beginnings by welcoming the future and shedding away the past. While the Chinese are trying to stand an egg upright during the equinox – which, according to an old tradition, will bring them good luck - in Japan the Vernal Equinox Day is a public holiday, with people visiting family graves and holding family reunions, in celebration of both past and future.&nbsp;



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



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Spring has arrived in the Northern Hemisphere

On March 20, 2023, at 5:24 p.m. ET, spring begins...

Recently, the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/">University of Sydney</a> in Australia has signed a contract with <a href="https://www.endurosat.com/">EnduroSat</a>, a major provider of micro-satellites and other space services, in order to explore the possibility of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-signals-identified-in-the-search-for-extraterrestrial-life/">extraterrestrial life</a>. The search will begin with our nearest neighbor star system, Alpha Centaury.&nbsp;



The mission is called TOLIMAN after the star’s ancient Arabic name and is funded by the&nbsp;<a href="https://breakthroughinitiatives.org/">Breakthrough Initiatives</a>, an organization in California searching for other habitable worlds in the universe. The experts will look for planets in the habitable zone around two Sun-like stars in the system (Alpha Centaury A and B), which are located only four light years away from Earth.



“That’s tantalizingly close to home. Astronomers have discovered thousands of exoplanets outside our own solar system but most are thousands of light years away and beyond our reach,” said mission leader Peter Tuthill, an astrophysicist at Sydney who helped develop the technology behind the groundbreaking James Webb Space Telescope. “Modern satellite technology will allow us to explore our celestial backyard and perhaps lay the groundwork for visionary future missions spanning the interstellar voids to the Centauri system.”



Since discovering exoplanets is a significant technological challenge, even for large telescopes, the experts are using state-of-the-art methods for developing a small space telescope capable of extremely fine measurements which needs to fit the telescope within a limited volume of 12 liters, while maintaining its mechanical and thermal stability with exquisite precision. To do this, they will use EnduroSat’s flight-proven MicroSat technology, which can download payload data at a speed of over 125 Mbps. If this mini-satellite will manage to discover any exoplanets in the Alpha Centaury, other instruments can be further employed to analyze their atmospheres and surface chemistry in order to search for signs of possible biospheres.



“We are exceptionally proud to partner in this mission. The challenges are enormous, and it will drive our engineering efforts to the extreme. The mission is a first-of-its-kind exploration science effort and will help open the doors for low-cost astronomy missions,” said Founder and CEO of EnduroSat Raycho Raychev.



“It’s very exciting to see this program come to life. With these partnerships, we can create a new kind of astronomical mission and make real progress on understanding the planetary systems right next door,” concluded Executive Director of Breakthrough Initiatives Pete Worden.



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



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Scientists are searching for life in our neighbor star system

Recently, the University of Sydney in Australia has signed a...

In October 2021, South Korea experienced an unprecedented <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-activities-are-fueling-more-extreme-heatwaves/">heatwave</a>, with average temperatures of 19.9 degrees Celsius – a 3.9C increase above the normal. This event – expected to arise only once in a millennium – was triggered by a delayed appearance of an anomalous high pressure that usually occurs only in the summer, which led to daily maximum temperatures of over 30C in the southern regions of the country, and resulted in major socioeconomic and agricultural losses. A similar event occurred once more in November 2022, increasing public awareness of the increase in frequency of fall heatwaves.



According to a new study led by the <a href="https://www.postech.ac.kr/eng/">Pohang University of Science and Technology</a> in South Korea (POSTECH), the record temperatures from October 2021 would not have occurred without the influence of global warming.&nbsp;



By using large datasets from <a href="https://www.climateurope.eu/a-short-introduction-to-climate-models-cmip-cmip6/">CMIP6 global climate models</a> and the U.K. <a href="https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/">Met Office</a>’s large ensemble simulations, the experts examined how anthropogenic global warming can increase the frequency of fall heatwaves. Moreover, they investigated how often such events may occur during future fall seasons under different greenhouse gas emissions scenarios.



The analysis revealed that, without the major increases in emissions after the industrial revolution, such fall temperatures would have been extremely unlikely to occur. Moreover, the scientists estimated that, if emissions are not urgently curbed, such events may occur once every two years by 2060. However, if the Paris Agreement’s goal of maintaining average global temperatures under 2C above pre-industrial levels is reached, extreme fall heatwaves would happen only once every 30 or 40 years.



“As unprecedented high temperatures during fall are occurring more frequently, it is necessary to provide an accurate prediction of their near-term occurrences and also prepare corresponding adaptation measures to minimize associated damages in all socioeconomic fields,” concluded co-author Seung-Ki Min, a professor of Environmental Science and Engineering at POSTECH.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-22-0124.1">Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society</a>.&nbsp;



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



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Global warming increases the frequency of fall heatwaves

In October 2021, South Korea experienced an unprecedented heatwave, with...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.uef.fi/en">University of Eastern Finland</a> (UEF) has found that individuals with chronic low back pain may benefit from equine-facilitated therapy (EFT) – a range of treatments involving activities with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/horses-with-a-trusted-owner-remain-calm-in-new-situations/">horses</a> and other equines. Following a three-month intervention, participants reported decreased levels of pain and significant improvements in daily functioning.



The scientists enrolled a cohort of 22 Finish participants in order to evaluate the impact of EFT on level of pain, pain acceptance, perceived physical performance, depression, anxiety, and quality of life. After 12 weeks of therapy, the patients reported statistically significant improvements in reaching and bending forward, standing for a prolonged period of time, and sleep. Moreover, by gradually increasing the exercise load, it was possible to reduce participants’ perceived pain levels, increase their participation in social activities, and improve their overall psychological wellbeing by decreasing their levels of anxiety and depression.



“Chronic back pain is a multidimensional experience involving not only physical pain but also learned thinking patterns and emotional reactions,” said study lead author Sanna Mattila-Rautiainen, a doctoral student in Biomedicine at UEF. “Traditionally, physical therapy has been recommended for the rehabilitation of patients with chronic pain, as physical exercise has been found to be the most effective way to treat spinal pain. Hippocrates already recommended using equine movement as a form of physical and psychological rehabilitation for people, but the exact reason behind the rehabilitative effect has remained unknown thus far.”



According to the researchers, individuals with chronic pain tend to avoid the sensation of pain initiated by moving the affected parts of their bodies. Since incorrect movement maintains a vicious circle of pain, it decreases people’s physical, psychological, and social wellbeing. However, when riding a horse, people will move to the gait of the animal, encouraging the right kind of lumbar movement, particularly for those experiencing low back pain.



Although in Finland EFT is a form of medical intervention that has already been subsidized by the country’s Social Insurance Institution in 2019, it is not yet a fully established method in the rehabilitation of musculoskeletal disorders. By highlighting its benefits for treating low back pain, this study – published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2023.1085768">Frontiers in Veterinary Science</a> – is an important step forward in addressing a frequently debilitating condition and thus contributing to public health.



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



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Riding horses can reduce low back pain

A new study led by the University of Eastern Finland...

Several studies have indicated that drinking between three to five cups of coffee per day could reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. However, most of this research has involved observational studies that cannot reliably establish causal effects due to other potentially influential factors, as well as the difficulty to disentangle any specific effects of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/caffeine-boost-male-fertility/">caffeine</a> from the other components included in caffeinated drinks and foods.



Now, an international team of scientists led by the <a href="https://ki.se/en">Karolinska Institute</a> in Sweden has used Mendelian randomization – a technique employing genetic variants as proxies for a particular risk factor – to examine what effect higher blood caffeine levels have on body fat and the long-term risks of developing type 2 diabetes and various cardiovascular issues, including artery disease, atrial fibrillation (irregular heart rhythm), heart failure, and stroke.&nbsp;



The experts investigated the role of two common genetic variants of the CYP1A2 and AHR genes – which are associated with the speed of caffeine metabolism in the organism - in a cohort of 10,000 individuals of predominantly European ancestry who were involved in six long-term studies. They started with the assumption that people who carry genetic variants linked to slower caffeine metabolism usually drink less coffee but have higher levels of caffeine in their blood than those who metabolize it faster.



The analysis revealed that higher genetically predicted blood caffeine levels were associated with lower body weight and fat, as well as a decreased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. By employing once more Mendelian randomization to further explore the extent to which caffeine effects on type 2 diabetes risk are driven by the concurrent weight loss, the researchers discovered that weight loss drove almost half (43 percent) of the effect of caffeine on diabetes risk. However, no significant associations between genetically predicted blood caffeine levels and the risk of cardiovascular disease emerged.



While these findings are limited by the use of only two genetic variants and the inclusion of only participants of European ancestry, they nevertheless suggest that caffeine plays a significant role in boosting metabolism, increasing fat burning, reducing appetite, and increasing energy expenditure, which could consequently lower the risk of developing obesity and thus type 2 diabetes.



“Our Mendelian randomization finding suggests that caffeine might, at least in part, explain the inverse association between coffee consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes. Randomized controlled trials are warranted to assess whether non-caloric caffeine containing beverages might play a role in reducing the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes,” the authors concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjmed-2022-000335">BMJ Medicine</a>.



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



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High caffeine levels reduce the risk of diabetes

Several studies have indicated that drinking between three to five...

Despite the fact that the term “birdbrain” is often used to denote a person who is silly or stupid, some birds actually have quite large brains. In fact, the brains of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/magnetic-field-disturbances-can-lead-migratory-birds-astray/">birds</a> are often as large as, or even larger than those of mammals of similar body size. However, there are distinct differences in the brain-to-body ratio found in altricial and precocial bird species, and this has led scientists to question whether brain size may be linked to the degree of development of chicks at the time of hatching.&nbsp;



Precocial birds, such as ostriches, ducks, chickens and gamebirds commonly produce large clutches of eggs that hatch into chicks covered in down and ready to walk about and forage immediately. Adults of these bird species have relatively small brains compared to the size of their bodies.&nbsp;



In contrast, altricial birds, such as songbirds, produce smaller clutches of eggs that hatch into naked, blind and helpless chicks. Parents of these chicks have to provision them with food as they develop feathers, mature and fledge from the nest. Even after fledging, the chicks need to be fed for several weeks until they are independent. But once they are adults, these birds have relatively large brains and are often considered to be more intelligent.



Brains are very important organs and one might think that the bigger the brain, the better. Large brains support numerous cognitive adaptations and enable individuals to solve problems and make decisions that are innovative. However, large brains come with costs. They are slow to mature and expensive in terms of energy. In fact, they require a large and constant supply of energy in order to develop and function at full potential.&nbsp;



Biologists are aware that the helpless altricial chicks of large-brained birds would certainly not be able to supply themselves with enough food while their underdeveloped brains matured. They would face an impossible hurdle - unless their parents helped them by supplying food. This led researchers to question whether having a large brain is linked to the provision of energy by parent birds to their offspring.&nbsp;



A team of scientists led by behavioral and evolutionary biologist Michael Griesser of the <a href="https://www.uni-konstanz.de/en/">University of Konstanz</a> has now compared the relative brain size in adults of 1,176 different bird species, with the extent of parental care. The researchers quantified how much energy parents invest in raising their offspring, including the egg size, clutch size and duration of post-hatching feeding and care. The results of the study have been published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2121467120">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a> (PNAS).



According to Griesser, precocial species of birds, such as ostriches, chickens, geese and ducks, have large clutches and large eggs. “But that’s already the end of the parental energy input.” Since these chicks leave the nest shortly after hatching, and can walk around and peck up their own food, they do not require much more input of energy from the parents.&nbsp;



“In contrast, altricial birds, such as sparrows, parrots and crows, hatch underdeveloped. Their growing brains have a different neuronal structure compared to those of precocial species: brains of altricial young only need to be capable of supporting body growth, while brains of precocial species have to fully function right after birth,” explained Griesser. Furthermore, young altricial birds need to be fed both in the nest and often after fledging, and thus it takes several weeks, at times even months, until they are nutritionally independent from their parents.



The researchers made use of published datasets in the literature in order to study the relationship between avian brain size and parental provision of energy to the offspring. They conclude that the critical factor for the size of the brain is how much energy the parents invest in the growth of their young, via egg size and active feeding of the young after hatching.&nbsp;



“Large brains, in particular, grow at the expense of the parents,” said Griesser. The chicks of birds considered to be clever, such as parrots, crows, owls and other raptors, require a lot of energy for their brain growth. Corvids (members of the crow family) have the largest brains relative to their body size. Without an input of energy from the parents, the chicks of these large-brained species would be unable to grow to maturity.



Previous research has shown that large-brained species of birds are better able to find food sources and remember them, even after some time has elapsed. They are also more successful at living in urbanized habitats or settling into novel environments.&nbsp;



The results of this study might also explain differences in brain size in other animals. The parental energy provided by fish, amphibians and reptiles is largely limited to producing the eggs. These animals have much smaller brain-to-body ratios than birds or mammals. Thus, long provisioning by parents seems to be a general prerequisite for the evolution of large brains, as is also evident in humans.&nbsp;



“There is ample evidence suggesting that parental provisioning and brain size evolved together and that only lineages with extended parental provisioning have the ability to evolve larger brains,” concludes Griesser.



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



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Bigger bird brains grow at the expense of the parents

Despite the fact that the term “birdbrain” is often used...

Large underwater waves affect the ocean’s ability to store carbon, according to new research led by the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a>. The study, published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2022AV000800">AGU Advances</a>, details the effect that interior ocean turbulence has in transporting heat and carbon. While the existence of these giant waves is well known, their effect on climate change has been unexplored until now.&nbsp;



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-noise-can-be-fatal-to-marine-invertebrates/">Ocean</a> circulation patterns carry warm tropical water from the tropics to the cooler North Atlantic, where the water cools, sinks, and returns south via the deep ocean. This circulation stores carbon deep in the ocean for thousands of years. However, the ocean’s interior is a dynamic environment.



“If you were to take a picture of the ocean interior, you would see a lot of complex dynamics at work,” explained study first author Dr. Laura Cimoli. “Beneath the surface of the water, there are jets, currents, and waves – in the deep ocean, these waves can be up to 500 meters high, but they break just like a wave on a beach.”



Turbulence caused by these giant waves deep in the ocean impact heat and carbon transport by causing the different layers of the ocean to mix, and researchers say these effects should be included in climate models.



“Climate models do account for turbulence, but mostly in how it affects ocean circulation,” said Dr. Cimoli. “But we’ve found that turbulence is vital in its own right, and plays a key role in how much carbon and heat gets absorbed by the ocean, and where it gets stored.”



“Many climate models have an overly simplistic representation of the role of micro-scale turbulence, but we’ve shown it’s significant and should be treated with more care,” added study co-author Dr. Ali Mashayek. “For example, turbulence and its role in ocean circulation exerts a control over how much anthropogenic heat reaches the Antarctic Ice Sheet, and the timescale on which that happens.”



The researchers say this work calls for a more careful representation of turbulence-induced vertical mixing within the Atlantic Ocean in climate models. They are calling for the installation of turbulence sensors to help scientists make more accurate predictions.



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By <a href="mailto:nire518@gmail.com">Erin Moody</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Deep ocean turbulence impacts carbon storage

Large underwater waves affect the ocean’s ability to store carbon,...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/protecting-river-deltas-and-the-people-who-live-on-them/">River deltas</a> are created where large rivers reach the ocean and deposit their natural sediment load. Although they make up less than 0.5 percent of the Earth’s land area, deltas are highly productive, contributing over four percent of the global GDP and three percent of the global crop production, while being home to 5.5 percent of the world’s population. 



Unfortunately, according to a new study led by <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/">Stanford University</a>, river deltas are currently highly vulnerable to imminent environmental change, and the livelihoods of the millions of people living there may be at risk.



“It is often not rising seas, but sinking land due to human activities that puts coastal populations most at risk,” said study lead author Rafael Schmitt, a postdoctoral fellow in Environmental Management at Stanford. “Our research highlights that this relevant global risk is grossly understudied for all but very few coastal regions.”



Deltas are usually subject to various factors creating dynamic yet stable systems. For example, the sediment supplied from upstream river basins creates new land even if sea levels are rising, while also offsetting the effect that recent, unconsolidated delta land compacts continuously under its own weight.&nbsp;



However, since today river deltas are cut off from their natural sediment supply by human-made dams and reservoirs – and the small amount of sediment that still manages to reach deltas cannot spread due to artificial dikes and levees - all the processes that occur naturally in undisturbed deltas are out of balance. 



Moreover, coastal vegetation is increasingly lost to make space for tourism and farmlands, while groundwater pumping and extraction of hydrocarbons creates subsidence (sinking of the ground caused by underground material movement).



Along with global sea level rise, these local factors lead to relative sea level rise, in which sinking lands amplify the effects of rising seas, possibly causing major parts of the world’s largest deltas to fall below sea level by the end of the century.



According to the experts, it is not sea level rise, but sinking land which puts deltas most at risk. Thus, while climate change mitigation remains important to curb global sea level rise, combating overuse of local natural resources in river deltas and their basins would likely provide greater and more immediate protection to deltas and their inhabitants.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2023.02.010">One Earth</a>.



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



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River deltas are threatened by human activities

River deltas are created where large rivers reach the ocean...

A team of scientists led by <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Pennsylvania State University</a> has recently identified a gene encoding a transcription factor (a protein useful for converting DNA into RNA) which triggers a genetic sequence that enables <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sweet-corn-yields-are-suffering-in-hotter-conditions/">corn</a> roots to acquire more water and nutrients. This finding could lead to the breeding of corn crops able to withstand droughts and low-nitrogen soil conditions, and thus improve global food security.



The newly discovered trait – known as a phenotype – is called “root cortical aerenchyma” and plays a crucial role in the development of air passages in the roots which enables them to explore the soil more efficiently and capture larger amounts of water and nutrients from dry, infertile soils.



By using powerful genetic tools developed in previous studies and conducting a series of field experiments that lasted over a decade, the experts identified the gene that causes corn to express cortical aerenchyma, which they named bHLH121.&nbsp;



“We first performed the field experiments that went into this study starting in 2010, growing more than 500 lines of corn at sites in Pennsylvania, Arizona, Wisconsin, and South Africa,” said lead author Hannah Schneider, an assistant professor of Crop Physiology at the <a href="https://www.wur.nl/en.htm">Wageningen University &amp; Research</a> in the Netherlands, who conducted this study during a postdoctoral fellowship at Penn State. “I worked at all those locations. We saw convincing evidence that we had located a gene associated with root cortical aerenchyma.”



The discovery&nbsp;of the bHLH121 gene’s importance in root cortical aerenchyma formation provides a new marker for plant breeders to select&nbsp;corn varieties with improved soil exploration and yield under suboptimal conditions. As the climate continues to warm, creating crops with better drought tolerance and nitrogen and phosphorous capture capacities is crucial.



“Those are super-important qualities - both here in the U.S. and around the world. Droughts are the biggest risk to corn growers and are worsening with climate change, and nitrogen is the biggest cost of growing corn, from both a financial and environmental perspective. Breeding corn lines more efficient at scavenging for the nutrient would be a major development,” concluded senior author Jonathan Lynch, a professor of Plant Sciences at Penn State.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2219668120">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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



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Future corn crops could have higher drought tolerance

A team of scientists led by Pennsylvania State University has...

After their near extinction in the 1960s, bald eagle populations rebounded significantly - a phenomenon considered by many scientists a massive conservation success story. However, a recent study led by the <a href="https://www.uga.edu/">University of Georgia</a> (UGA) has found that a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza - known as H1N1 - is currently killing an unprecedented number of bald eagles, thus endangering once more this species.



According to the researchers, in 2022, under half of bald eagle nests along coastal Georgia successfully fledged at least one eagle, which is 30 percent below average for this region, while in a county in Florida, the success rate of nests was halved, decreasing from 86.5 percent to 41 percent.



“We had reports from people who faithfully monitor eagle nests year after year with these heartbreaking stories of an adult eagle found dead below their nest. Within a few days, often its mate and the chicks were also found dead below the nest. It is clear the virus is causing nest failures,” said study lead author Nicole Nemeth, an associate professor of Veterinary Medicine at UGA.



The first cases of avian influenza in bald eagles were confirmed in April 2022. Since then, the number of cases has skyrocketed, with infections reported not only in bald eagles, but also in a variety of other birds, including vultures and other raptors, waterfowl such as ducks and geese, aquatic birds like pelicans and herons, commercially farmed poultry, and even some songbirds. While 6,200 cases have been officially reported across the U.S., this number is most likely an undercount.



“I think the number of wild bird cases is drastically underreported. People will submit one snow goose, for example, and it will test positive for the virus. And then they’ll tell you, ‘Well, there are thousands of geese dying at the same site.’ But it only goes down as one infected bird,” Nemeth explained.



Since the virus can persist in water for over a year, the birds most at risk of infection are those living in coastal or other aquatic areas, or those that prey on birds living in such environments. Birds can catch the virus from spending time in the water and carry it to new locations during their migration, while raptors such as eagles or vultures can pick it up when they consume infected birds. Moreover, the virus has also spread to wild mammals, such as red foxes, coyotes, racoons, opossums, seals, and even some bears. While the risk posed to humans remains low, many of these species could experience significant declines.



“A virus that can spread and be maintained as this virus can, it’s everywhere now. We can’t contain the virus, and we can’t vaccinate wild birds. But we can document the losses and try to help conserve affected species and populations the best we can,” Nemeth concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-27446-1">Nature Scientific Reports</a>.



—



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



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Bald eagles are threatened by avian influenza

After their near extinction in the 1960s, bald eagle populations...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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