Asteroid,Vesta,In,Space.,Surface,Of,Space,Stone,From,Asteroid

For more than a decade, Vesta has sat in a scientific gray zone: too big and geologically complex to be an ordinary asteroid, yet never quite elevated to the status of a true planet. 



Its basalt-covered surface hinted at a molten past, and early analyses of data from NASA’s Dawn spacecraft suggested that Vesta possessed the same fundamental architecture as Earth - crust, mantle, and metallic core. That tidy picture has now been upended.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vesta-s-internal-structure">Vesta's internal structure </h2>



A new study led by the <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> (JPL) re-examined Dawn’s gravity and imaging records with greatly refined calibration methods. The result is a radical reinterpretation of Vesta’s internal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/asteroid-vesta-found-to-have-channels-that-look-like-water-made-gullies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">structure</a>.



Rather than harboring a dense central core, the 500-kilometer-wide body appears almost uniform throughout. 



“The lack of a core was very surprising. It’s a really different way of thinking about Vesta," said study co-author Seth Jacobson, a planetary scientist at <a href="https://msu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Michigan State University</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vesta-s-history-is-surprisingly-complex">Vesta's history is surprisingly complex</h2>



The research team reached this conclusion by looking at a property called the moment of inertia, which governs how an object’s mass is distributed and, consequently, how it spins in space. 



Bodies with heavy centers behave like figure skaters who pull their arms in to rotate faster; those with evenly distributed mass spin more sluggishly. Vesta’s spin signature fits the latter description, contradicting earlier models that required a substantial iron-nickel core.



To obtain their revised measurements, principal investigator Ryan Park and colleagues spent nearly a decade perfecting the cross-calibration between Dawn’s onboard cameras and radio-tracking data transmitted through <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/communicating-with-missions/dsn/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA’s Deep Space Network</a>.



“After nearly a decade of refining our calibration and processing techniques, we achieved remarkable alignment between Dawn’s Deep Space Network radiometric data and onboard imaging data,” Park explained. 



“Our findings show Vesta’s history is far more complex than previously believed, shaped by unique processes like interrupted planetary differentiation and late-stage collisions.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-two-competing-theories-on-vesta">Two competing theories on Vesta</h2>



Two competing ideas now vie to explain what Vesta really is. One option is that the object began to differentiate - melting internally so that metals could sink and silicates rise - but the process froze in mid-stride. 



That would make Vesta a kind of geological time capsule, preserving a rare snapshot of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scorching-world-offers-clues-to-planetary-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">planetary evolution</a> arrested before its final act.



Yet this scenario clashes with laboratory analyses of meteorites that match Vesta’s spectral fingerprint. “We’re really confident these meteorites came from Vesta,” Jacobson noted. “And these don’t show obvious evidence of incomplete differentiation.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fragment-of-a-lost-world">Fragment of a lost world</h2>



The alternative, more audacious hypothesis is that Vesta is not a stalled planet at all but a fragment blasted off a larger world during the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/distant-icy-worlds-are-unlocking-secrets-of-the-solar-system/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">solar system</a>’s chaotic youth. Jacobson first floated the idea informally years ago, suggesting that some meteorites might be relics of violent impacts among embryonic planets.



“This idea went from a somewhat silly suggestion to a hypothesis that we’re now taking seriously due to this re-analysis of NASA Dawn mission data,” Jacobson said. 



If correct, Vesta would be a shard of primordial crust from a planet that continued to accrete elsewhere - or perhaps never reached maturity because subsequent collisions shattered it beyond recognition.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-broader-implications-of-the-study">Broader implications of the study</h2>



Either explanation reshapes Vesta’s scientific value. In the incomplete-differentiation model, the body offers insight into the thermal limits that determine whether small planetary embryos grow full cores. 



In the impact-fragment model, Vesta becomes forensic evidence of the collisions that sculpted the inner solar system, possibly preserving geochemical clues to an unknown “parent” planet. 



Jacobson’s research group is already building computer models of such giant impacts, while graduate student Emily Elizondo examines how ejected debris might migrate into the asteroid belt and survive for billions of years.



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



More work lies ahead. Planetary <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chemists-could-be-key-to-prevent-animal-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">chemists</a> can re-evaluate Vesta-derived <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-meteorites-tell-us-about-their-birthplace-in-space/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">meteorites</a> in light of the new gravity data, looking for isotopic markers that would either support or refute a uniform interior.



Meanwhile, improved dynamical simulations could test whether a collision-origin scenario can reproduce Vesta’s current orbit and composition. 



Dawn’s legacy data set remains a treasure trove; the same re-processing techniques may yet reveal subtler interior details or reconcile inconsistencies in previous models.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pieces-of-an-ancient-planet">Pieces of an ancient planet</h2>



Whatever the final answer, Vesta’s story now looks less like a straightforward tale of arrested growth and more like a detective mystery spanning 4.5 billion years. “No longer is the Vesta meteorite collection a sample of a body in space that failed to make it as a planet,” Jacobson said.



“These could be pieces of an ancient planet before it grew to full completion. We just don’t know which planet that is yet.” 



In reframing Vesta from wannabe planet to either an unfinished embryo or a planetary shard, scientists gain fresh perspective on the tumultuous processes that forged the terrestrial world we inhabit today.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-025-02533-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Astronomy</a>



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Asteroid Vesta may be a fragment of a lost world

For more than a decade, Vesta has sat in a scientific gray zone: too big and geologically complex to be an ordinary asteroid, yet never quite elevated to the status of a true planet. Its basalt-covered surface hinted at a molten past, and early analyses of data from NASA’s Dawn spacecraft suggested that Vesta possessed the same fundamental architecture as Earth - crust, mantle, and metallic core. That tidy picture has now been upended. Vesta's internal structure A new study led by the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory...

Intermittent fasting has gained popularity of late and has been associated in the press with various health benefits including <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cut-your-gym-time-in-half-by-lowering-weights/">weight</a> reduction, reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, extended longevity and improved cognitive function. However, the vast majority of fasting research has been conducted with animals, and evidence of health improvements from fasting in humans is preliminary at best.&nbsp;



A new study from scientists at the Icahn School of Medicine at <a href="https://www.mountsinai.org/locations/mount-sinai/about/history">Mount Sinai Hospital introduces</a> a note of caution to those wishing to use fasting as a route to improved health. Their study on mice found that skipping meals triggers a response in the brain that negatively affects immune cells and may make the mice less able to fight off infections.&nbsp;



“There is a growing awareness that fasting is healthy, and there is indeed abundant evidence for the benefits of fasting. Our study provides a word of caution as it suggests that there may also be a cost to fasting that carries a health risk,” says lead author Filip Swirski, PhD, Director of the Cardiovascular Research Institute at Icahn Mount Sinai. “This is a mechanistic study delving into some of the fundamental biology relevant to fasting. The study shows that there is a conversation between the nervous and immune systems.”



Not much is understood about the mechanisms by which fasting brings about the beneficial changes observed, but studies of humans fasting between dawn and dusk during Ramadan have indicated that inflammatory cytokines are suppressed in fasting individuals. Cytokines are crucial in the immune system for controlling the growth and activity of other immune cells.&nbsp;



In the current study, researchers aimed to better understand how fasting affects the immune system in mice. They analyzed two groups of mice, one that ate breakfast immediately after waking and the other that had no breakfast. Fasting mice were kept from eating for a few hours, or up to 24 hours, before being given food. Their blood was sampled after waking up and then four hours and eight hours later.



The results, published in the journal Immunity, show distinct differences in blood characteristics between the fed and the fasting mice. Specifically, the researchers saw a difference in the number of monocytes, which are white blood cells that are made in the bone marrow and travel through the body, where they play many critical roles, from fighting infections, to repairing tissues and preventing heart disease and cancer.



After waking, all mice had the same levels of monocytes in their blood. But after four hours, 90 percent of these important immune system cells had disappeared from the bloodstream of the fasting mice. Monocyte levels in mice that didn’t skip breakfast were unchanged from the initial values. The researchers discovered that monocytes in fasting mice had travelled back to the bone marrow, where they remained inactive.&nbsp;



While hibernating in the bone marrow, the monocytes underwent significant changes. They aged differently and survived for longer than they would have in the bloodstream. In addition, the production of new monocytes in the bone marrow declined while the hibernating cells were present.&nbsp;



Once food was again given to the fasting mice, the monocytes hiding in the bone marrow flooded back into the bloodstream within a few hours. This surge of altered monocytes resulted in increased levels of inflammation that would have made their bodies less able to fight infections.



This study is among the first to find a connection between the brain and the behavior of these immune cells during fasting. Researchers found that specific regions in the brain controlled the monocyte response during fasting. This study demonstrated that fasting elicits a stress response in the brain and this instantly triggers a large-scale migration of these white blood cells from the blood to the bone marrow, and then back to the bloodstream, shortly after food is reintroduced.



Dr. Swirski emphasized that while there is also evidence of the metabolic benefits of fasting, this new study is a useful advance in the full understanding of the body’s mechanisms.



“The study shows that, on the one hand, fasting reduces the number of circulating monocytes, which one might think is a good thing, as these cells are important components of inflammation. On the other hand, reintroduction of food creates a surge of monocytes flooding back to the blood, which can be problematic. Fasting, therefore regulates this pool in ways that are not always beneficial to the body’s capacity to respond to a challenge such as an infection,” explains Dr. Swirski. “Because these cells are so important to other diseases like heart disease or cancer, understanding how their function is controlled is critical.”



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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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Skipping breakfast may have unwanted immune effects

Intermittent fasting has gained popularity of late and has been...

Galaxy.,Elements,Of,This,Image,Furnished,By,Nasa.

An international team of astrophysicists has discovered mysterious objects hiding in images captured by the James Webb Space Telescope. Six potential galaxies were identified that emerged so early in the universe’s history - and are so massive - that they should not be possible under cosmological theory.



Each potential galaxy may have existed at the dawn of the universe roughly 500 to 700 million years after the Big Bang. They’re also gigantic, containing almost as many <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sunflower-sea-stars-could-help-save-kelp-forests/">stars</a> as the Milky Way Galaxy. Calculations suggest that there shouldn’t have been enough matter at that time to form so many stars so quickly.



“You just don’t expect the early universe to be able to organize itself that quickly. These galaxies should not have had time to form.” said study co-author Professor Erica Nelson of the University of Colorado Boulder.



The James Webb Telescope was launched in December 2021 and is the most powerful telescope ever sent into space. Last year, four galaxies were spotted that likely coalesced from gas around 350 million years after the Big Bang. Those objects, however, are miniscule in size compared to the new galaxies.



More data is needed to confirm the size and date these galaxies formed. It is also possible that they could be a different object entirely.&nbsp;



Last year, Professor Nelson and her colleagues from the United States, Australia, Denmark and Spain, formed a team to investigate the data James Webb was sending back to Earth.&nbsp;



Nelson was peering at a postage stamp-sized section of one image when she spotted a few “fuzzy dots” of light that looked way too bright to be real. “They were so red and so bright. We weren’t expecting to see them.”



In astronomy, red light usually equals old light. The universe has been expanding since the dawn of time. As it expands, galaxies and other celestial objects move farther apart, and the light they emit stretches out. The more the light stretches, the redder it looks to human instruments.



“The Milky Way forms about one to two new stars every year,” said Professor Nelson. “Some of these galaxies would have to be forming hundreds of new stars a year for the entire history of the universe.”



The researchers will continue to collect more information about the newly discovered objects. “If even one of these galaxies is real, it will push against the limits of our understanding of cosmology,” said Professor Nelson.



The research is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-05786-2">Nature</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:katherinebucko@gmail.com">Katherine Bucko</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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James Webb captures galaxies that are too old to exist

An international team of astrophysicists has discovered mysterious objects hiding...

According to a new study presented at the American College of Cardiology’s <a href="https://accscientificsession.acc.org/">Annual Scientific Session Together with the World Congress of Cardiology</a>, getting good sleep might play a key role in protecting against cardiovascular and other types of diseases, and possibly even influence life expectancy. The experts found that about eight percent of deaths from any cause could be attributed to poor sleep patterns, and that young people who have better sleep habits are incrementally less likely to die prematurely.&nbsp;



“We saw a clear dose-response relationship, so the more beneficial factors someone has in terms of having higher <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-reduces-sleep-quality-elevates-disease-risk/">quality of sleep</a>, they also have a stepwise lowering of all cause and cardiovascular mortality,” said study co-author Frank Qian, an internal medicine resident physician at <a href="https://www.bidmc.org/">Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center</a> and clinical fellow in Medicine at <a href="https://hms.harvard.edu/">Harvard Medical School</a>. “I think these findings emphasize that just getting enough hours of sleep isn’t sufficient. You really have to have restful sleep and not have much trouble falling and staying asleep.”



The scientists analyzed data from 172,321 participants in the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/index.htm">National Health Interview Survey</a> between 2013 and 2018 (average age 50, 54 percent women, two-thirds White, 14.5 percent Hispanic, 12.6 percent Black, and 5.5 percent Asian). By linking the participants to the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/ndi/index.htm">National Death Index</a> records, the researchers were able to investigate the association between individual and combined sleep factors and all-cause and cause-specific mortality. During the period that participants were followed (4.3 years), 8,681 individuals died (30 percent from cardiovascular disease, 24 percent from cancer and 46 percent due to other causes).



In order to determine the relationship between sleep quality and health/life expectancy, the researchers assessed five different factors of quality sleep: ideal sleep duration (seven to eight hours per night); difficulty falling asleep less than two times per week; trouble staying asleep less than two times per week; not using any sleep medication; and feeling rested after waking up at least five days per week.



The analysis revealed that, compared to participants who had zero to one favorable sleep factors, those who had all five were 30 percent less likely to die for any reason, 21 percent less likely to die from cardiovascular issues, 19 percent less likely to die from cancer, and 40 percent less likely to die from other causes (such as accidents, infections, or neurodegenerative conditions). Surprisingly, among men and women who reported having all five quality sleep measures, life expectancy was 4.7 years greater for men and only 2.4 years greater for women compared to those with none or only one of the factors. Further research is needed to explore these sex differences.



“Even from a young age, if people can develop these good sleep habits of getting enough sleep, making sure they are sleeping without too many distractions and have good sleep hygiene overall, it can greatly benefit their overall long-term health. It’s important for younger people to understand that a lot of health behaviors are cumulative over time. Just like we like to say, ‘it’s never too late to exercise or stop smoking,’ it’s also never too early. And we should be talking about and assessing sleep more often,” Qian concluded.



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



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High quality sleep increases life expectancy

According to a new study presented at the American College...

Populations of California <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forest-restoration-could-protect-spotted-owls-in-the-long-term/">spotted owl</a> – a species living in mature and old-growth forests in Sierra Nevada and the mountains of coastal and Southern California – are currently dwindling due to habitat loss caused by logging practices, as well as climate-related hazards such as increased droughts and wildfires.&nbsp;



Scientists and environmental organizations have long advocated the need to protect this species under the Endangered Species Act (a law from 1973 aiming to safeguard imperiled species), but have not been successful until now. However, on February 23, 2023, the <a href="https://www.fws.gov/">U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service</a> finally proposed to list the owl’s southern/coastal population as endangered, following a lawsuit against the Service’s decision from 2019 not to do so. Unfortunately, the Sierra Nevada population would only receive a threatened status, which would exempt many logging operations from having to comply with the Act’s rules.



“California’s spotted owl is an iconic species that exists nowhere else in the world,” said Elizabeth Forsyth, the biodiversity defense program attorney of <a href="https://earthjustice.org/">Earthjustice</a>, a nonprofit organization dedicated to litigating environmental issues that represented several conservation organizations in the lawsuit against the Service. “The Endangered Species Act is the strongest tool we have to protect imperiled animals and plants, and we celebrate this crucial step toward ensuring the California spotted owls’ continued survival.”&nbsp;



“These much-needed protections for the California spotted owl are long overdue,” said Pam Flick, the California program director of <a href="https://defenders.org/">Defenders of Wildlife</a>. “The best available science demonstrates that most California spotted owl populations have been declining for many years. These new protections under the Endangered Species Act will give this species a fighting chance at recovery.”



According to Susan Britting, the executive director of <a href="https://www.sierraforestlegacy.org/">Sierra Forest Legacy</a>, the listing of California spotted owl as endangered provides a major conservation tool to protect this rapidly dwindling species and its habitat.



“It took way too long for California spotted owls to be proposed for Endangered Species Act protections, but I’m thrilled they may finally get these crucial safeguards,” concluded Justin Augustine, a senior attorney at the <a href="https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/">Center for Biological Diversity</a>. “I urge the Fish and Wildlife Service to move quickly to bring these endearing birds back from the brink.”



A full version of the Service’s recent announcement can be found <a href="https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2023-03526.pdf?utm_source=federalregister.gov&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=pi+subscription+mailing+list">here</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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California spotted owl officially listed as endangered

Populations of California spotted owl – a species living in...

According to new research led by <a href="https://bluefood.earth/">Blue Food Assessment</a> – an international collaboration of scientists studying the role of aquatic foods in global food systems – “blue foods” originating from the ocean or freshwater environments have a significant potential to help address several global challenges such as nutritional deficits, disease risk, greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change.



“Even though people around the world depend on and enjoy seafood, the potential for these blue foods to benefit people and the environment remains underappreciated,”&nbsp;said study co-author Benjamin Halpern, a marine ecologist at the <a href="https://www.ucsb.edu/">University of California, Santa Barbara</a>. “With this work, we bring attention to these many possibilities and the transformative benefit that blue foods can have for people’s lives and the environments in which they live.”&nbsp;



The scientists found that blue foods are rich in many essential nutrients (such as vitamin B12&nbsp;and omega-3 fatty acids), deficiencies of which are high globally, particularly in South American and African countries. Increasing the intake of such foods in these areas can significantly lower malnutrition issues that afflict vulnerable populations – such as young children, elders, and pregnant women - the most. Moreover, since excessive consumption of red meats in developed countries in North America and Europe lead to high incidences of cardiovascular disease, promoting the consumption of more blue foods could lower the risks of developing hearth disease.



In addition, since aquatic food production exerts lower environmental pressures than terrestrial meat production, more blue food could also result in a more environmentally friendly and sustainable food system. Finally, aquaculture, mariculture, and fishing – if carefully developed – could insure the livelihoods of millions of people worldwide.



Unfortunately, even with thoughtful implementation of policies which lower the barriers to blue food production and access, not all countries will benefit to the same degree. 



“Blue foods can play important roles in our diets, societies and economies, but what exactly this looks like will differ greatly from one country and local setting to another,” explained study lead author Beatrice Crona, a professor of Ecology at <a href="https://www.su.se/cmlink/stockholm-university">Stockholm University</a> and co-chair of the Blue Food Assessment. “Our goal is for policy makers to fully understand the diverse contributions that blue foods can make, but also for them to consider the tradeoffs that need to be negotiated to really make the most of the opportunities that blue foods provide.”



To help users better understand the relevance of policy objectives around the world in terms of nutrition, heart disease, environment, and climate resilience, the researchers designed an <a href="https://gedb.shinyapps.io/BFA_synthesis/">online tool</a>. “By further customizing the different parameters in the online tool, decisionmakers can explore the blue food policies most relevant for their national setting and use the paper to inspire blue food policies that can overcome existing environmental and nutritional challenges,” concluded co-author James Leape, an environmental scientist at <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/">Stanford University</a>.



The study is published in the journal<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-05737-x"> Nature</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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Blue foods could help address global challenges

According to new research led by Blue Food Assessment –...

A new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-05725-1">Nature</a> has found that the world’s forests, as well as other habitats that store <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-storage-ocean-floor/">carbon</a> in plants and soils, are losing their ability to absorb carbon due to increasingly unstable conditions caused by human activities.&nbsp;



According to the experts, the short-term impacts of rising temperatures, deforestation, and farming on a variety of vulnerable landscapes will make it increasingly difficult and less likely for terrestrial carbon stores to recover in the longer term. This phenomenon will reduce the overall carbon storage capacity of the land and thus undermine efforts to curb the rising levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases.



“We found that large regions of the world are vulnerable to sudden and dramatic changes to their landscape, because the ability of their ecosystems to absorb carbon starts to destabilize,” said study co-author Patrick McGuire, a climate scientist at the <a href="https://www.reading.ac.uk/">University of Reading</a> in the UK.



“For example, forest fires in California are more likely because of extremely dry and hot conditions caused by a hotter atmosphere. More fires means that forest turns to scrubland, sometimes permanently. This reduces the land’s overall ability to suck carbon out of the atmosphere as it did before. This creates a vicious cycle as areas such as these become more vulnerable to the effects of climate change in the future.”



The scientists discovered that, from 1981 to 2018, many ecosystems around the globe moved from a phase of high productivity, when plants were able to absorb more carbon, to one of low productivity, in which plants partially lost their capacity to absorb it. The scale of such fluctuations creates a greater risk of destabilization, possibly leading to abrupt landscape changes as ecosystems cannot adapt to climate change, deforestation, or biodiversity loss.



The study found that the regions most at risk usually have less forest cover and more cropland, are warmer, and have experienced higher rises in temperature, and a larger number of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves or cold snaps. These areas include the Mediterranean Basin, Southeast Asia, and the west coasts of North and Central America. According to the researchers, these vulnerable regions have developed a “memory” – which they describe as a “temporal autocorrelation” – meaning that years when carbon uptake was lower are more likely to be followed by years when it diminishes even further.



However, in some areas – such as the tropical forests of the Amazon and parts of central and northern Europe – the carbon absorption capacity has in fact increased. Nevertheless, the scientists warn that regions such as the Amazon will likely face other climate threats, such as shifts in regular patterns of rainfall. These global variations will make it more challenging to predict the impact of schemes to absorb carbon, such as planting more trees.



“Ecosystems on land currently absorb almost&nbsp;one-third&nbsp;of the carbon emissions created by humans. If they start to absorb less carbon, the earth’s natural ability to curb climate change diminishes. This means we may need to cut man-made carbon emissions even faster than we had previously thought,” McGuire concluded.



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



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Land carbon stores are increasingly destabilized

A new study published in the journal Nature has found...

Walnuts help counteract the impacts of academic stress on the body and mind, according to a study from the <a href="https://www.unisa.edu.au/">University of South Australia</a>. The research suggests that university students could benefit from adding walnuts to their daily <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mediterranean-diet-improves-sperm-quality-and-fertility/">diet</a>, particularly while preparing for exams.&nbsp;



The researchers conducted a clinical trial focused on undergraduate students during their university studies. The results showed that walnut consumption was associated with improved measures of mental health and overall well-being.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The research adds to a growing body of evidence that walnut consumption improves brain and gut health, noted Professor Larisa Bobrovskaya and PhD student Mauritz Herselman. Previous studies have shown that the omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, melatonin, polyphenols, folate and vitamin E found in walnuts all contribute to brain and gut benefits.&nbsp;



“Students experience academic stress throughout their studies, which has a negative effect on their mental health, and they are particularly vulnerable during exam periods,” said Herselman.



For the investigation, 80 students were divided into treatment and control groups. They were clinically assessed in three intervals - at the beginning of a 13-week semester, during exams, and two weeks after exams. Study participants in the treatment group consumed walnuts on a daily basis for 16 weeks over these three intervals.



“We found that those who consumed about half a cup of walnuts every day showed improvements in self-reported mental health indicators," said the researchers. "Walnut consumers also showed improved metabolic biomarkers and overall sleep quality in the longer term.”



While students in the control group reported increased depression and stress leading up to exams, those who consumed walnuts did not experience these issues.&nbsp;



“The World Health Organization has recently stated that at least 75 percent of mental health disorders affect people under the age of 24 years, making undergraduate students particularly vulnerable to mental health problems,” said Herselman.



According to Professor Bobrovskaya, mental health disorders are common in university students and can adversely affect students’ academic performance and long-term physical health.



“We have shown that consuming walnuts during stressful periods can improve mental health and general well-being in university students, as well as being a healthy and delicious snack and a versatile ingredient in many recipes, to fight some negative effects of academic stress,” said Professor Bobrovskaya.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu14224776">Nutrients</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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Walnuts improve brain health, reduce stress

Walnuts help counteract the impacts of academic stress on the...

A study published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/2/1280">Survey</a> has found that sheep grazing in urban environments may have a positive impact on human mental health.&nbsp;



The study began as an experiment to determine whether sheep grazing could benefit the physical environment. However, the focus of the research pivoted once the researchers realized the psychological benefits.&nbsp;



​​“This started out as an experiment to test their mowing abilities, and we have now published research on how they make people feel peaceful,” said study lead author Haven Kiers.



Using in-person and social media surveys, the researchers collected data from approximately 200 students and other individuals on the campus of the <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">University of California, Davis</a>.



“We found that there was a significantly lower likelihood of current feelings of being ‘very stressed’ or ‘stressed’ among the sheep mower group when compared to the group that did not experience sheep mowers. The group with the sheep was just so much happier,” said Kiers.



The experts emphasized the potential for alleviating loneliness by having sheep in these environments.



“Loneliness is a struggle for many of our students,” said study co-author Carolyn S. Dewa. “One robust research finding is that social support is a protective factor for mental health. One of the ways the sheep mower events help to promote mental health is by providing an opportunity for a shared experience."



“The events help people to see that they are a part of a larger group and give people a sense of community.”



Kiers mentioned that while there are plenty of stress studies that are focused on dogs and horses, scientists should expand the types of animals studied. Researchers should also extend the breadth of landscape management goals.



“We really need to look at how we can get the most out of landscape management, in all forms - in the physical environment as well as mental health.”



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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



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.

Grazing sheep can reduce stress on college campuses

A study published in the journal Survey has found that...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/warm-river-habitats-are-important-for-cold-water-fish/">River</a> temperature is an important water quality measure which regulates physical, chemical, and biological processes in flowing water and has a significant impact on ecosystems, human health, and industrial, domestic, and recreational uses by humans. 



Now, a team of researchers led by the <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/index.aspx">University of Birmingham</a> and <a href="https://www.indiana.edu/">Indiana University</a> has argued that a better global understanding of river temperature and the factors driving temperature increases can provide a critical barometer for climate change and the effect of other human activities.



According to the experts, a comprehensive database about this water quality measure will increase our understanding of the impact of temperature changes on biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and a variety of possible risks, including early warning of algal blooms, waterborne pathogens, and changes in fish populations.&nbsp;



In many areas of the globe, these aspects could turn out to be critical for human survival. Moreover, rethinking how we monitor and model river temperatures will play a major part in our ability to manage, mitigate, and adapt to temperature extremes that negatively impact aquatic organisms and the ecosystem services they provide.



“More attention has been given to other water quality indicators, such as nutrients and contaminants,” said study co-lead author David Hannah, an expert in Water Sciences at Birmingham. “However, river temperature influences many of these factors. Emerging evidence shows that river temperatures are rising in response to climate change in many regions worldwide. On top of this, human activity is altering water temperature further; but we still need to better understand this phenomenon and its implications.”



“The knowledge we currently have is inconsistent, with large variations in scale and detail – and primarily taking place in richer countries. This severely limits our ability to sustainably manage river systems, protect ecosystems, and balance the competing interests of stakeholders,” added co-lead author Darren Ficklin, an associate professor of Geography at Indiana.



The scientists argue that a first step in this direction is to build a more complete and accessible river temperature archive, which gathers all available data in order to highlight information gaps and underpin models for places and times for which we currently lack data. In addition, the researchers also hope to promote collaborative research and management efforts with local and indigenous communities, thus avoiding the current “top-down” decision-making on what types of data are more valuable.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natwater/">Nature Water</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



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.

Rising river temperatures provide new clues about climate change

River temperature is an important water quality measure which regulates...

In the United States, about 2.1 million osteoporosis-related bone fractures occur each year, resulting in $20.3 billion in annual direct health costs. Osteoporosis disproportionally impacts women compared to men, with 80 percent of the ten million Americans suffering from this disease being females. Moreover, postmenopausal women appear to be at higher risk, with one in two women older than 50 experiencing bone fractures due to osteoporosis.



Now, a team of researchers led by <a href="https://www.columbia.edu/">Columbia University</a> has found that high levels of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-linked-to-a-higher-risk-of-stroke/">air pollution</a> are associated with bone damage among postmenopausal women. These negative effects were most evident on the lumbar spine, with nitrous oxides - a type of pollutants found in car and truck exhaust and emissions from electrical power generation plants - twice as damaging to this area than seen during normal aging. 



While previous studies on individual pollutants have examined their adverse effects on bone mineral density, osteoporosis risk, and fractures in older individuals, this is the first study to comprehensively assess the connection between air pollution and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women, as well as the first to explore the impact of air pollution mixtures on bone outcomes.



The experts examined data on an ethnically diverse cohort of 161,808 postmenopausal women and estimated their exposure to several pollutants (PM10, NO, NO2, and SO2) based on their home addresses. In order to clarify the impact of these pollutants, they measured bone mineral density (BMD) in the whole body, total hip, femoral neck, and lumbar spine at enrollment, as well as after one, three, and six years.



The analysis revealed that the effect of nitrous oxides on lumbar spine BMD would amount to 1.22 percent annual reductions, which is nearly double the effect of age on any of the anatomical sites evaluated. According to the researchers, these effects happen most likely through bone cell death caused by oxidative stress and other mechanisms.



“Our findings confirm that poor air quality may be a risk factor for bone loss, independent of socioeconomic or demographic factors. For the first time, we have evidence that nitrogen oxides, in particular, are a major contributor to bone damage and that the lumbar spine is one of the most susceptible sites of this damage,” reported study lead author Diddier Prada, an expert in Environmental Health Science at Columbia.



“Improvements in air pollution exposure, particularly nitrogen oxides, will reduce bone damage in postmenopausal women, prevent bone fractures, and reduce the health cost burden associated with osteoporosis among postmenopausal women. Further efforts should focus on detecting those at higher risk of air pollution-related bone damage,”&nbsp;concluded senior author Andrea Baccarelli, the Chair of the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at the same university.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.101864">EClinicalMedicine</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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Air pollution increases bone loss from osteoporosis

In the United States, about 2.1 million osteoporosis-related bone fractures...

Although in recent years, educators have explored the use of social <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/robots-influence-children-education/">robots</a> to help students learn, they focused mostly on children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Now, a team of scientists led by the <a href="https://uwaterloo.ca/">University of Waterloo</a> in Canada has designed a socially assistive robot to help keep students with learning disabilities focused on their work. According to the experts, using this robot was highly successful, with both pupils and their instructors valuing the positive classroom contributions made by the robot.



“There is definitely a great potential for using robots in the public education system,” said study senior author Kerstin Dautenhahn, a professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Waterloo. “Overall, the findings imply that the robot has a positive effect on students.”



The researchers conducted a series of experiments with a small humanoid robot called QT, which has the ability to perform gestures using its head and hands, accompanied by speech and a variety of facial expressions. To test whether this robot was suitable for use with children with learning disabilities, they divided 16 students into two groups. While in the first group, students worked one-on-one with a human instructor only, in the second one they worked both with the instructor and a QT robot.&nbsp;



Although the instructor controlled the sessions, the robot took over occasionally, triggered by the instructor, to lead the student. If necessary, the robot set goals and provided self-regulating strategies and, if the learning process was getting off-track, it also used strategies such as games, jokes, riddles, breathing exercises, and physical movements to redirect the students back to their tasks.



“Our qualitative analysis suggests that instructors and students showed positive attitudes towards the social robot in their one-to-one sessions. In addition, the students were more engaged with their task in the presence of the robot, and displayed fewer off-task behaviors in the intervention condition, compared to the control condition. These results suggest that a social robot can be used as an effective educational tool for instructors in boosting engagement and mitigating off-task behaviors for students with learning disabilities,” the authors concluded.



The study is published in the proceedings of the <a href="https://www.icsr2022.it/">International Conference of Social Robotics</a> from Florence, Italy and can be found <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-24670-8_14">here</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



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.

Social robots can help students stay focused

Although in recent years, educators have explored the use of...

In March 1946, less than a year after the end of World War II, the Medical Research Council of the UK commenced a longitudinal study to follow the health and development of 5,362 babies, all born in the same week in England, Wales and Scotland. Today, this is the longest running major birth cohort study in the world, and the surviving participants are soon to turn 77 years old. There have been at least 24 follow-up contacts with all surviving members of the cohort, with the latest full testing conducted when they were aged 69.



Previous research using data from this 1946 British birth cohort has demonstrated the beneficial effects of being physically during the midlife period on verbal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/edible-mushrooms-boost-nerve-growth-and-enhance-memory/">memory</a>. Following on from this, researchers from the MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing at University College London have now investigated whether the timing of physical activity has an influence on improved cognitive function in later life.&nbsp;



The participants reported their levels of physical activity at follow-up surveys conducted at the ages of 36, 43, 53, 60–64 and 69, by which time only 1,417 of the original participants were available. At each age they completed a questionnaire to assess how often they had taken part in any sports, vigorous leisure activities or exercise in the previous month.&nbsp;



Their responses were categorized into: not active (no participation in physical activity/month); moderately active (participated 1–4 times/month); most active (participated 5 or more times/month), and then summed across all 5 assessments to create a total score ranging from 0 (inactive at all ages) to 5 (active at all ages).&nbsp;



The researchers assessed cognitive function at age 69 using the validated ACE-111, which tests attention and orientation, verbal fluency, memory, language, and visuospatial function. They also used tests of verbal memory (word learning test) and processing speed (visual search speed), and analyzed the associations between cognitive function and levels of physical activity.&nbsp;



The researchers were particularly keen to know if physical activity is most beneficial to later-life cognitive function when undertaken in specific ‘sensitive’ periods across the life course, or when undertaken across multiple time periods.&nbsp;



Their results, published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2022-329955">Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery &amp; Psychiatry</a>, show compelling evidence of the positive effects of being, and remaining, physically active across 30 years of adulthood on later-life cognition. Essentially, they find that any regular leisure time physical activity, carried out at any age during adulthood, is significantly associated with better brain function in later life. However, maintaining an exercise routine throughout adulthood seems to be best for preserving mental acuity and memory.



The researchers found that 11 percent of participants were physically inactive at all five survey times. Around 17 percent of participants were active at only one of the survey times, whereas 20 percent were active at two and three of them; 17 percent were active at four of the survey times, and 15 percent were active at all five. Those people who reported being physically active at all five of the survey times were more likely to have higher cognitive performance, better verbal memory and faster processing speed at the age of 69.



The effect sizes were similar across all adult ages, and for those who were moderately and most physically active, “suggesting that being physically active at any time in adulthood, even if participating as little as once per month, is linked to higher cognition,” wrote the researchers.&nbsp;



The positive association between cumulative physical activity and later life cognitive performance was partly explained by childhood cognition, socioeconomic position, and education. However, the effect remained significant even when these variables were accounted for in the statistical analysis.&nbsp;



“Together, these results suggest that the initiation and maintenance of physical activity across adulthood may be more important than the timing … or the frequency of physical activity at a specific period,” explained the researchers.



The study has some limitations, including the fact that it is an observational investigation and so cannot attribute cause to the differences identified in cognitive function. In addition, all the participants were White and there was a disproportionately high attrition rate among socially disadvantaged participants. No data were collected from participants about the intensity or duration of physical exercise that they undertook, nor about whether they actually adhered to the regimen they selected during the surveys.&nbsp;



But the researchers nevertheless conclude: “Our findings support guidelines to recommend participation in any physical activity across adulthood and provide evidence that encouraging inactive adults to be more active at any time, and encouraging already active adults to maintain activity, could confer benefits on later life cognition.”



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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



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.

Any type of physical activity can help protect the brain

In March 1946, less than a year after the end...

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



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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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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



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How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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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



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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

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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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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