Methane traps more than 25 times as much heat as carbon dioxide over a century, so even modest changes in its release can tilt the climate balance.



Scientists already recognize Arctic and sub‑Arctic lakes as natural methane vents, where gas bubbles up from sediments laid down over millennia. But the exact processes controlling how much is produced and how fast it escapes have remained poorly understood.



Now, a new study led by PhD researcher Marie Bulínová from <a href="https://en.uit.no/startsida">UiT The Arctic University of Norway</a> offers fresh insight into these dynamics, revealing how lake productivity plays a central role in methane release.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-life-more-methane">More life, more methane</h2>



Bulínová and an international team cored sediments and analyzed pore‑water chemistry in ten <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-lakes-produce-less-methane-than-previously-thought/">lakes</a> scattered across Svalbard and Arctic Scandinavia. 



They then modeled how methane diffuses from the mud into the overlying water and, ultimately, into the air. The surprise wasn’t that methane was present - every lake emitted some - but that the same factors consistently drove those emissions.



“We were surprised by how clearly the productivity of the ecosystem was linked to methane production,” Bulínová said.



The researchers found that lakes with thicker mats of algae, more aquatic plants, lush shore vegetation, and shallower depths generated the most methane in their sediments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-arctic-methane-begins">Where Arctic methane begins</h2>



Across the lakes, production peaked within the upper decimeter of sediment. That thin layer is rich in freshly fallen, easily digestible organic matter and pulsing with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microbes-activities-underground-revealed-by-new-technology/">microbial activity</a>. Beneath it, older, nutrient‑poor mud yields much less gas.



By combining concentration profiles with mass‑transfer equations, the researchers estimated diffusive fluxes between - 0.46 and 3.1 millimoles of methane per square meter per day.



Those numbers match earlier spot measurements in boreal and Arctic water bodies and are far lower than typical tropical or temperate values. Yet, given the sheer abundance of lakes across high‑latitude landscapes, the regional methane budget remains formidable.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lakes-vary-in-emissions">Lakes vary in emissions</h2>



When the team compared their data with more than sixty published estimates from lakes worldwide, a striking pattern emerged. Arctic lakes as a group emit less per unit area than tropical ones, but individual northern lakes vary wildly.



“Some release much more methane than others, depending on local factors like vegetation cover, lake shape, or sediment composition,” Bulínová noted. 



Machine‑learning models confirmed that climate variables - especially <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-earth-energy-imbalance-temperature-rise/">temperature</a> and precipitation - rank alongside primary productivity and basin morphometry as key predictors. 



The upshot is that Arctic methane output will not rise evenly. Hot spots will appear where warming and wetter weather most strongly boost in‑lake photosynthesis.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-living-lakes-drive-feedbacks">Living lakes drive feedbacks</h2>



The findings dovetail with satellite observations of a “greening” Arctic: longer ice‑free seasons and warmer waters spur algae blooms, while shrubs and grasses spread along shorelines.



More plant growth means more organic carbon raining onto lake bottoms, where microbes convert it into methane. That methane, in turn, accelerates warming, potentially creating a feedback loop.



“Our work suggests that increases in ecosystem productivity - something we could think of being positive - can also increase methane release and further accelerate warming,” Bulínová warned.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-arctic-methane-escapes-in-many-ways">Arctic methane escapes in many ways</h2>



The study focused on diffusion, one of several pathways methane follows from mud to sky. Bubbling, or ebullition, can deliver large, sudden pulses when gas pockets overcome sediment pressure. 



Plant stems can vent methane directly, and spring ice‑out may release winter stores in a burst. Accounting for these modes will refine regional budgets. 



But diffusion is a baseline flux that operates almost continuously - and scientists can model it more easily across thousands of lakes once they understand the main controls.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-need-to-study-more-arctic-lakes">Need to study more Arctic lakes</h2>



Because each Arctic lake tells a slightly different story, the authors emphasize breadth as well as depth. “That’s why it’s essential to study a wide range of lake types if we want to understand the Arctic’s role in future <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oceans-in-crisis-have-we-reached-a-climate-tipping-point/">climate</a> feedbacks,” Bulínová explained.



Their random‑forest approach shows promise for up‑scaling. Feed the algorithm satellite data on lake size, depth, productivity proxies, and local climate, and it can predict methane diffusion with reasonable accuracy.



The same framework could extend to boreal or even temperate basins. This would help Earth‑system models gauge how global lake emissions will shift under various warming scenarios.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-researchers-must-do-next">What researchers must do next</h2>



The study demonstrates that tallying greenhouse gases in the Arctic requires looking beyond <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/permafrost-is-becoming-a-source-of-global-warming/">thawing permafrost</a> soils to include seemingly placid waters.



Policies aimed at limiting methane rise might need to consider land‑use changes that alter nutrient runoff into lakes or protect certain high‑productivity basins from additional disturbance. 



For scientists, the next steps include year‑round monitoring to capture seasonal swings, experiments that manipulate nutrient inputs, and integration of ebullition measurements.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lakes-face-a-warming-future">Lakes face a warming future</h2>



As climate change redraws the Arctic map, lakes will likely become more productive biological engines. Paradoxically, they may also become more potent methane releasers.



The research led by Bulínová offers a first quantitative framework to anticipate that transformation. 



It reminds us that in the delicate dance of climate feedbacks, what looks like a burst of life on a warming tundra can carry an invisible, high‑powered greenhouse cost.



The study is published in the <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1029/2024JG008508" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences</a>.



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Microbes in Arctic lakes are fueling a large methane surge

Methane traps more than 25 times as much heat as carbon dioxide over a century, so even modest changes in its release can tilt the climate balance. Scientists already recognize Arctic and sub‑Arctic lakes as natural methane vents, where gas bubbles up from sediments laid down over millennia. But the exact processes controlling how much is produced and how fast it escapes have remained poorly understood. Now, a new study led by PhD researcher Marie Bulínová from UiT The Arctic University of Norway offers fresh insight into these dynamics,...

In an astonishing revelation, researchers from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a> and Japan's <a href="https://www.osaka-u.ac.jp/en">Osaka University</a> have uncovered data suggesting the rogue planets - those solitary wanderers unhinged from any star – significantly outnumber the approximately hundred billion planets which orbit stars.&nbsp;



The findings indicate that NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, slated for launch by May 2027, could discover as many as 400 rogue planets similar in mass to Earth. The data has already singled out a likely candidate for this category.



David Bennett is a senior research scientist at NASA’s <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">Goddard Space Flight Center</a> and co-author of two papers detailing these findings.&nbsp;



“We estimate that our galaxy is home to 20 times more rogue planets than stars – trillions of worlds wandering alone. This is the first measurement of the number of rogue planets in the galaxy that is sensitive to planets less massive than Earth," said Bennett.



<h2 id="h-microlensing-events">Microlensing events&nbsp;</h2>



The groundbreaking findings originated from a nine-year MOA (Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics) survey conducted at New Zealand's <a href="https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/science/facilities/field-and-research-stations/mount-john-observatory/">Mount John University Observatory</a>.&nbsp;



Microlensing events provide valuable information about the objects in our cosmos. These phenomena occur when a star or planet aligns almost perfectly with an unrelated background star from our viewpoint.&nbsp;



The mass of the nearer object warps space-time, causing light from the distant star to bend around the closer object. The intervening object acts like a lens, briefly intensifying the brightness of the background star's light. This method gleans crucial insights that other methods can't provide.



Takahiro Sumi is a professor at Osaka University and lead author of the paper estimating our galaxy’s rogue planets. He elaborated on the significance of microlensing. 



“Microlensing is the only way we can find objects like low-mass free-floating planets and even primordial black holes. It’s very exciting to use gravity to discover objects we could never hope to see directly."



The MOA survey has enabled the second-ever discovery of an Earth-mass rogue planet. The team's finding, along with a demographic analysis suggesting rogue planets outnumber star-orbiting planets by sixfold, will soon be published in <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/journal/1538-3881">The Astronomical Journal</a>.



<h2 id="h-rogue-planets-tend-to-be-smaller">Rogue planets tend to be smaller</h2>



In the past few decades, our understanding of the cosmos has dramatically evolved. From pondering our solar system's solitude, we've discovered over 5,300 planets beyond it. Contrary to the trend, which reveals most of these newfound worlds are either massive or in close proximity to their host star, the team’s study suggests rogue planets lean towards a smaller size.



Professor Sumi explained the prevalence of pint-sized planets: “We found that Earth-size rogues are more common than more massive ones. The difference in star-bound and free-floating planets’ average masses holds a key to understanding planetary formation mechanisms.”



Planetary formation is a chaotic process. Young celestial bodies, bound by gravity, jostle for space in their orbits. The less massive planets, not as strongly tethered to their stars, often find themselves catapulted into space. From there, they begin a solitary, shadowy existence.



Despite their mysterious nature, not all rogue planets are inhospitable. Sci-fi enthusiasts might recall an episode of the original Star Trek series where the crew stumbles upon Gothos. It was a lone habitable planet in a star desert. However, despite sharing mass characteristics, it's essential to note that our newly discovered "rogue Earth" is likely starkly different from Earth.



<h2 id="h-the-roman-space-telescope">The Roman Space Telescope&nbsp;</h2>



Discovering more rogue planets depends on expanding our field of observation - a task perfectly suited to the Roman Space Telescope.&nbsp;



Naoki Koshimoto is now an assistant professor at Osaka University and lead author of the paper. He announced the candidate terrestrial-mass rogue world by saying, “Roman will be sensitive to even lower-mass rogue planets since it will observe from space. The combination of Roman’s wide view and sharp vision will allow us to study the objects it finds in more detail than we can do using only ground-based telescopes, which is a thrilling prospect.”



Previously, estimates suggested Roman would uncover around 50 terrestrial-mass rogue worlds. The new research revises this expectation to approximately 400. However, more accurate predictions will have to wait until Roman begins its stellar sweep.&nbsp;



Roman's data will be supplemented by ground-based observations from facilities like Japan's PRIME (Prime-focus Infrared Microlensing Experiment) telescope at the South African Astronomical Observatory.



Each microlensing event is a one-off, and cannot be revisited. However, they do last from a few hours to a day, allowing time for coordinated observations with Roman and PRIME.&nbsp;



"Seeing them from both Earth and Roman’s location a million miles away will help scientists measure the masses of rogue planets much more accurately than ever before, deepening our understanding of the worlds that grace our galaxy," said Koshimoto.



<h2>More about rogue planets</h2>



Rogue planets, also known as interstellar planets, nomad planets, or orphan planets, are celestial bodies that have the characteristics of planets but do not orbit a star. Instead, they traverse the vast expanse of interstellar space independently. Although scientists first proposed the concept in the 20th century, only in recent years has the technology become available to detect and study these elusive objects.



<h3>Rogue planet formation</h3>



The primary mechanism for the formation of rogue planets relates to the volatile dynamics within young star systems. These systems often exhibit chaotic gravitational interactions between developing planets.



The unstable conditions can eject a planet from the system, sending it into interstellar space. In some cases, rogue planets may form directly from the collapse of interstellar gas clouds, similar to how stars form but on a smaller scale.



<h3>Detection and observation</h3>



Detecting rogue planets presents a significant challenge due to their inherent darkness. They emit no light of their own, and they do not transit a host star to create observable patterns. Nevertheless, astronomers have developed two primary methods for identifying these celestial wanderers: gravitational microlensing and direct imaging.



Gravitational microlensing occurs when the gravity of a massive object, such as a rogue planet, bends and magnifies the light of a distant star. This creates a noticeable brightening effect, alerting astronomers to the presence of an intervening object.



Direct imaging, on the other hand, relies on sophisticated telescopes to observe the weak infrared radiation that rogue planets emit as they cool. The introduction of the James Webb Space Telescope in 2021 greatly enhanced our capacity for direct imaging.



<h3>Characteristics</h3>



Rogue planets vary widely in their characteristics. Many are similar to conventional planets, with masses ranging from Earth-like to Jupiter-like sizes. However, some border on the line between large gas giant planets and brown dwarfs, objects which are too massive to be considered planets but not massive enough to initiate nuclear fusion in their cores like stars.



Despite their solitary existence, rogue planets may possess atmospheres and even maintain internal heat from their formation. There is ongoing debate about the potential for these bodies to support life, but it remains largely speculative due to the lack of energy input from a star.



<h3>Significance</h3>



Rogue planets contribute to our understanding of planetary formation and the dynamic processes within young star systems. They challenge traditional definitions of planets and blur the lines between different categories of celestial objects.



Furthermore, they hold implications for astrobiology. If rogue planets can host conditions suitable for life, it expands the range of environments in which we might find extraterrestrial organisms. This broadens the scope of our search for life beyond our solar system.



In summary, rogue planets are fascinating objects that traverse the interstellar void independent of a host star. Their detection and study push the limits of our astronomical technology and knowledge, offering unique insights into planetary formation, dynamics, and the potential for life in unexpected places. As technology continues to evolve, our understanding of these mysterious objects will undoubtedly expand.



—-



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Trillions of rogue planets, 20x more than stars, are wandering alone in our galaxy

In an astonishing revelation, researchers from NASA and Japan's Osaka...

Climate,Change,Heat,Dryness,Withered,Earth

In a recent briefing, NASA's leading climate authority Gavin Schmidt, the director of the <a href="https://www.giss.nasa.gov/">Goddard Institute for Space Studies</a>, warned that this July could potentially mark Earth’s hottest month for the first time in centuries, if not millennia.&nbsp;



The assertion comes as an unrelenting heatwave scorches large portions of the US, particularly the south, a meteorological phenomenon highlighting the escalating severity of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-crisis-leaves-one-third-of-pakistan-underwater/">climate crisis</a>.



Schmidt presented his forecast during a meeting at NASA’s Washington headquarters, which gathered agency climate experts including NASA administrator Bill Nelson and chief scientist and senior climate adviser Kate Calvin.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-harsh-reality-of-climate-change">Harsh reality of climate change</h2>



The assembly was set against the backdrop of a summer that has underscored the pressing reality of climate change: devastating floods in New England, choking smoke from Canadian wildfires afflicting US cities, and tens of millions of Americans under heat advisories due to record-breaking temperatures in the south and west of the country.



"We are seeing unprecedented changes all over the world," Schmidt noted. The director elaborated that while these dramatic shifts may seem startling, they were expected by the scientific community, citing "a decade-on-decade increase in temperatures throughout the last four decades."



<h2 id="h-earth-s-hottest-june">Earth's hottest June</h2>



Schmidt's announcement comes on the heels of NASA's recent disclosure that last month was Earth's hottest June on record according to their global temperature analysis.&nbsp;



The current trend, Schmidt suggests, is "certainly increasing the chances" of 2023 becoming the hottest year on record. His estimations indicate a 50% likelihood of this happening, while some models propose a staggering 80% probability.



Furthermore, the prognosis for 2024 is even more alarming, predicted to surpass 2023's projected record-breaking temperatures.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-el-nino">El Niño</h2>



Scientists anticipate an El Niño weather pattern, infamous for amplifying global temperatures, to peak towards the end of this year. Schmidt recalls how the most recent significant El Niño event, which transpired between 2014 to 2016, culminated in each of those years successively setting new global temperature records, with 2016 holding the current title for Earth's hottest year ever recorded.



The assembly of experts attending the meeting echoed Schmidt's concerns, collectively raising an alarm over Earth's rapid transformation. These climatic alterations were linked unequivocally to greenhouse gas emissions. However, they hesitated to explicitly attribute these emissions predominantly to fossil fuel consumption.



<h2 id="h-wide-ranging-impacts">Wide-ranging impacts</h2>



Scientific consensus affirms that "human activity and principally greenhouse gas emissions are unavoidably causing the warming that we're seeing on our planet," according to Calvin. She stressed the wide-ranging impacts of global warming on both human societies and ecosystems around the world.



However, the discussion wasn't solely focused on the grim realities of climate change. NASA's leaders spotlighted the agency's extensive climate-centered initiatives designed to assist governments in combating and preparing for the repercussions of the climate crisis. As Nelson pointed out, "NASA is also a climate agency."



<h2 id="h-tracking-environmental-changes">Tracking environmental changes</h2>



Among its initiatives, NASA's newest venture, the Earth Information Center, aims to democratize climate data from the agency's 25 satellites, making it accessible in real time. An exhibition featuring the initiative recently opened at the agency's headquarters, with an online counterpart set to debut on NASA's website next week.&nbsp;



The agency also outlined a range of other projects that track environmental changes, from air pollution and methane emissions to tropical cyclones and hurricanes. Additionally, NASA is striving to mitigate planet-warming pollution through research into lower-carbon forms of air travel.



Despite some opposition from rightwing lawmakers seeking to slash funding for climate-related projects, including some of NASA's, the agency remains committed to advancing its mission.&nbsp;



Karen St. Germain, NASA's Earth Science division director, emphasized that the agency's aspiration is not only to accelerate scientific discovery but also to ensure new research bolsters climate preparedness. This ranges "from a farmer assessing what to do with a single field, to global leaders weighing decisions impacting the entire world."



In summary, as Schmidt's warnings illustrate, the stakes have never been higher. "Our goal is to put scientific information and understanding out in ways that help the public," concluded St. Germain, underscoring the urgency of addressing the climate crisis head-on.



—-



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July may be Earth's hottest month in centuries, or even millennia as climate crisis gets worse

In a recent briefing, NASA's leading climate authority Gavin Schmidt,...

In a groundbreaking study conducted by the <a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford</a>, researchers found that high-meat diets generate four times the greenhouse gases compared to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/vegan-diet-for-dogs-given-the-thumbs-up-by-scientists/">vegan</a> diets.&nbsp;



This research, leveraging the eating habits of 55,000 individuals, further demonstrates that diets free from meat substantially decrease environmental impact, affecting land use, water use, water pollution risk, and biodiversity loss.



“Cutting down the amount of meat and dairy in your diet can make a big difference to your dietary footprint," said study lead author Professor Peter Scarborough.



This research adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that a radical change in our dietary habits could be key for mitigating the accelerating effects of climate change.



<h2 id="h-impacts-of-food-production">Impacts of food production&nbsp;</h2>



Agriculture is a chief contributor to deforestation and biodiversity loss, and has commanded three-quarters of ice-free land for human use, according to UN data.&nbsp;



Additionally, our food system is responsible for a staggering 70% of the world's freshwater use and 78% of freshwater pollution. As if that wasn't enough, it also ranks second in producing greenhouse gases, just behind energy production.



A previous study from 2015 found that the direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions from food production constituted approximately one-third of total emissions for that year.&nbsp;



Although it has been established in earlier research that plant-based diets yield fewer greenhouse gases and demand less water, these studies may not have fully considered the ways and places where food is produced.



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



This latest study, recently published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natfood/">Nature Food</a>, involved a survey completed by 55,000 UK participants. Respondents were categorized as vegans, vegetarians, pescatarians, and either high or low meat eaters.&nbsp;



The Oxford research team proceeded to integrate these data with databases that quantify the environmental impact of different food types for a comprehensive analysis.



According to Professor Scarborough, focusing on the data for high-impact, plant-based food or low-impact meat can distract from the salient correlation between animal-based foods and environmental degradation. He emphasized the importance of their comprehensive approach.



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



“Our results, which use data from over 38,000 farms in over 100 countries, show that high-meat diets have the biggest impact for many important environmental indicators, including climate change and biodiversity loss," said Professor Scarborough.



The environmental impact of vegans was found to be a mere quarter of that of high-meat diets, in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and land use.&nbsp;



For water pollution, this figure was 27%, 46% for water use, and 34% for biodiversity loss. Even those following a low-meat diet showed considerable improvements, exhibiting at least a 30% reduction across these environmental impact categories.



<h2 id="h-new-strategies-are-needed">New strategies are needed</h2>



The research team suggests these findings should inform policy making, encouraging strategies to curtail meat production and consumption. However, this proposition has already sparked debate.&nbsp;



In a recent Commons committee hearing on food security, Farming Minister Mark Spencer stated a preference for enhancing meat production efficiency over dictating dietary choices. He highlighted a yearly 1% efficiency improvement in agriculture and a vision for genetically-modified cows emitting less methane.



Green MP Caroline Lucas challenged Spencer's view, criticizing the government’s reticence in promoting vegetarianism as “perverse.” She pointed to what she perceives as governmental “double standards” for levying taxes on sugar, tobacco, and alcohol, yet exempting meat.



“Achieving the net zero target is a priority for this Government, and whilst food choices can have an impact on greenhouse gas emissions, well-managed livestock also provide environmental benefits such as supporting biodiversity, protecting the character of the countryside and generating important income for rural communities," said Lucas.



—-



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High-meat diets have four times the environmental impact of vegan diets

In a groundbreaking study conducted by the University of Oxford,...

As farms across the globe continue to shift toward organic agricultural practices, new research suggests that this transition may have unexpected effects on bat populations. The study has uncovered evidence that during the transition period to organic farming, bat activity is substantially reduced.&nbsp;



This surprising discovery highlights the intricate interconnectedness of ecosystems and raises questions about how best to manage farming transitions to benefit <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-biodiversity-crisis-is-actually-worse-than-we-thought/">biodiversity</a>.



While it has long been recognized that organic farming fosters greater biodiversity than conventional farming, less is known about the impact of the transition period on local wildlife.&nbsp;



Traditional farming heavily relies on substances such as pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers which can be detrimental to many species. As farms convert to organic practices, these substances are removed, leaving a gap that some elements of biodiversity may struggle to bridge.



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



To gain insights into this, the researchers turned their focus to bats – specifically, insect-eating bats living in the citrus orchards of Cyprus.&nbsp;



Across 22 matched pairs of citrus orchards, the team monitored the activity of four bat species: Kuhl's pipistrelle (P. kuhlii), Savi's pipistrelle (H. savii), common bent-wing (M. schreibersii), and common pipistrelle (P. pipistrellus).&nbsp;



These observations allowed them to compare bat activity at certified organic farms with conventional farms, and those in transition to organic practices



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



The study revealed that the activity of three of the four bat species was notably lower at farms in the transition period compared to those maintaining conventional practices.&nbsp;



However, once the transition to organic farming was complete, bat activity increased, indicating a "time-lag" before the organic biodiversity boost for the most abundant bat species.



The researchers, initially anticipating positive effects from the onset of organic farming transition, were taken aback by these results.



"We can't be certain why bats are negatively affected, but previous research suggests soil can suffer – with knock-on effects for other wildlife – when fertilisers, pesticides and other aspects of conventional farming stop," said study co-author Penelope Fialas, from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>.



<h2 id="h-potential-negative-effects">Potential negative effects</h2>



Fialas suggested that the soil and wider ecosystem might need time to recover from the abrupt cessation of conventional farming inputs.



With these findings at hand, Fialas underlined the importance of carefully managing the transition to organic farming. Avoiding simultaneous transitions at neighboring farms could help wildlife find alternative habitats while each farm switches its methods, thereby reducing potential negative effects on biodiversity.



"We've long known that organic farms often harbour higher biodiversity than otherwise similar conventional farms," said Gareth Jones from the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a>.



"The transition to organic farming has been little studied, however, and determining if the detrimental effects during transition observed here hold for other animals and plants would be an interesting future research project."



Notably, the study also found that the presence of “semi-natural” areas surrounding the farms did not influence these differences in bat activity. This may challenge some existing beliefs about the mitigating effects of these areas on changes in biodiversity during farming transitions.



The research was partially funded by the University of Göttingen and has been published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14468">Journal of Applied Ecology</a>.



<h2 id="h-more-about-organic-farming">More about organic farming&nbsp;</h2>



Organic farming is a method of crop and livestock production that involves much more than choosing not to use pesticides, fertilizers, genetically modified organisms, antibiotics, and growth hormones. Organic farming can be defined as:



An integrated farming system that strives for sustainability, the enhancement of soil fertility and biological diversity while, with rare exceptions, prohibiting synthetic pesticides, antibiotics, synthetic fertilizers, genetically modified organisms, and growth hormones.



Organic farming promotes the use of crop rotations and cover crops and encourages balanced host/predator relationships. It offers benefits like biodiversity, soil health improvement, lower levels of pollutants in groundwater, better taste, and possibly, nutritional benefits.&nbsp;



However, it also poses its own suite of environmental challenges. For example, due to the current low yields of organic farming, wide-scale adoption could require additional land to be converted for farming use.



Here are a few key principles and practices typically associated with organic farming:



<h3 id="h-soil-management">Soil management</h3>



Organic farming emphasizes the use of compost, green manure, and organic fertilizer to nourish the soil that crops are grown in. The health of the soil is a critical component in organic farming, and practices like crop rotation and intercropping are used to prevent the depletion of soil nutrients.



<h3 id="h-weed-management">Weed management</h3>



Organic farming doesn't use synthetic weedkillers. Instead, organic farmers might plant fast-growing species to outcompete weeds, or use physical methods such as hand weeding or flame weeding.



<h3 id="h-pest-management">Pest management</h3>



Organic farming typically relies on the principle of biodiversity and the creation of a balanced ecosystem to control pests. This could include the use of insects that prey on crop pests, or using disease-resistant crop varieties. Some organic farmers might also use certain natural pesticides.



<h3 id="h-livestock">Livestock</h3>



Organic standards for livestock involve a range of factors, including providing outdoor access for animals, using organic feed, and limiting the use of antibiotics.



<h3 id="h-genetically-modified-organisms">Genetically modified organisms</h3>



Organic standards generally prohibit the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). This includes both the crops grown and the feed given to livestock.



<h3 id="h-sustainability">Sustainability</h3>



A key principle of organic farming is the idea of sustainability. This involves farming practices that help maintain ecological balance, preventing soil depletion or the loss of biodiversity, and reducing the use of non-renewable resources.



—-



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Hidden costs of organic farming: Wildlife may struggle through the transition 

As farms across the globe continue to shift toward organic...

As our understanding of the animal kingdom continues to grow, one fascinating revelation is the strategy adopted by male field crickets to attract mates.&nbsp;



A recent study conducted by researchers at the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> has discovered that these crickets, found commonly in the meadows of northern Spain, actually engage in a cooperative technique known as "singing overlap" to attract female attention.&nbsp;



However, there's a catch to this harmonious collaboration - when rivalry edges too close, the crooning promptly stops.



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



Over a period of 51 days, the scientists observed more than 100 male crickets, studying their behavior through a project named "WildCrickets."&nbsp;



This expansive research project utilized a network of CCTV cameras to continuously monitor field crickets, specifically Gryllus campestris, within their natural <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/habitat-quality-and-biodiversity-impact-bee-health/">habitat</a>.&nbsp;



Analyzing over a million scan samples of 129 male crickets, the scientists were able to closely examine the influences on and dynamics of the males' singing behavior.



“Courtship displays are common in nature, but we know surprisingly little about how animals tactically adjust these in response to their environment,” said Joe Wilde, a PhD student at Exeter’s Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour.&nbsp;



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



The researchers noticed that when males were situated one to five meters away from a listening male, their singing seemed to have a "stimulatory effect," inciting a symphony of chirps resonating through the meadow. This synchronized chorus, a captivating phenomenon, is believed to serve a greater purpose.



According to Wilde, "We can’t say for certain why the males tend to sing together, but a likely explanation is that females are drawn to areas with multiple males calling. By ‘chorusing’ in this way, the males all benefit."&nbsp;



This harmonious serenade is, however, not just a simple courtship display. For crickets, singing is a high-energy endeavor, and males need to make the strategic decision on when to invest their energy in singing and when to remain silent.



<h2 id="h-territorial-males">Territorial males&nbsp;</h2>



Contrary to the harmonizing effect observed at distances greater than one meter, when a rival male chirped within the one-meter radius, it was likely to interrupt the chorus. This is possibly because the males, known for their territorial nature, would choose to confront the invaders of their personal space rather than continue with their serenades.&nbsp;



"We also can’t be sure why males sing less when others chirp within one meter, but it’s likely that they choose to fight rivals that get too close to their burrow," said Wilde.



This intriguing research, funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), provides a glimpse into the complex social and behavioral dynamics within the cricket community.&nbsp;



The study further highlights the delicate interplay between cooperation and competition in the natural world. The findings are published in the revered journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347223001549?via%3Dihub">Animal Behaviour</a>.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-more-about-field-crickets">More about field crickets&nbsp;</h2>



Field crickets are insects that belong to the family Gryllidae. They are known for their distinctive chirping sounds, which males produce by rubbing their forewings together to attract females. This noise-making process is known as stridulation. Field crickets are found all over the world, particularly in warmer climates.



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



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



Field crickets are generally black or dark brown in color, and their bodies are about an inch long. They have long antennae, powerful hind legs for jumping, and wings that cover their abdomen.



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



Crickets are usually more active at night. They are omnivorous and will consume a wide variety of foods, including plant material, smaller insects, and decaying organic material.



<h4 id="h-life-cycle">Life cycle</h4>



The life cycle of a field cricket typically consists of three stages: egg, nymph, and adult. After mating, the female lays her eggs in the ground. The eggs hatch into nymphs, which look like small versions of adults but without wings. They undergo a series of molts before reaching adulthood.



<h4 id="h-chirping">Chirping</h4>



The chirping sounds, or "songs," that male crickets make serve different purposes: calling songs attract females and repel other males, courtship songs are used when a female is near and encourage her to mate, and aggressive songs are used in encounters with other males.



<h4 id="h-human-interaction">Human interaction</h4>



In many cultures, crickets are considered good luck symbols. They are also used in pet food and human food industries. However, they can be pests in agriculture and homes, especially in large numbers, because they feed on crops and can damage household items.



<h4 id="h-environmental-indicators">Environmental indicators</h4>



Crickets are known to be sensitive to environmental changes and can serve as bioindicators. For instance, the frequency of a cricket's chirping is related to temperature, and can therefore be used as a kind of thermometer.



—-



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Male crickets cooperate to attract mates, until the competition heats up

As our understanding of the animal kingdom continues to grow,...

In the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic, researchers at <a href="https://www.rutgers.edu/">Rutgers University</a> have released a study that provides a new perspective on how individuals chose to navigate the unprecedented challenges. This research, a refreshing departure from narratives of increased substance use, found that many people turned to healthy habits and hobbies to cope with pandemic-related stress.



The study, recently published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.109929">Drug and Alcohol Dependence</a>, refines our understanding of how the American public adapted their behaviors during the enforced stay-at-home orders, a period marked by pervasive global anxiety.



<h2 id="h-positive-pandemic-experiences">Positive pandemic experiences</h2>



Interestingly, the researchers highlighted that those who reported more types of negative experiences spanning across work, home, and social domains also reported more positive types of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/covid-19-pandemic-was-especially-damaging-to-the-mental-health-of-college-students/">pandemic</a> experiences.&nbsp;



These included engaging in hobbies, increasing physical activity and exercise, improving diet and nutrition through cooking, and spending more time with family and friends (virtually).



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



The goal of the study was to examine the effects of emotional, physical, and economic stressors related to the pandemic on substance use frequency. The researchers analyzed data from the COVID-Dynamic project run by Caltech.&nbsp;



The COVID-Dynamic survey asked participants a series of questions encompassing a broad range of pandemic-related experiences, from physical and emotional health, employment, finances to family dynamics. It also inquired about their monthly substance use and the potential positive effects the pandemic had on their lives, such as a more vigorous exercise regimen or a better diet.



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



By investigating data from two waves of the COVID-Dynamic project, in July 2020 and January 2021, the researchers identified how substance use correlated with pandemic-related experiences.&nbsp;



For example, those individuals reporting social and emotional impacts were more likely to consume alcohol, while those who experienced economic hardship drank less.



Nicotine use, however, showed an increase among those reporting economic impacts, and a decrease among individuals reporting significant social impact. Additionally, a positive association was found between emotional hardship and cannabis use.



Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the research was the scarcity of substance use among the study participants. Denise Hien, Director of the Center of Alcohol and Substance Use Studies and a co-author of the study, noted, “Overall, the amount of substance use in this sample was relatively low.”



<h2 id="h-widespread-resilience">Widespread resilience&nbsp;</h2>



This research challenges the general assumption that the pandemic had a universally negative impact. "We often think in terms of collective trauma, but this sample upends the idea that the pandemic was universally impactful,” said study co-author Alexandria Bauer.&nbsp;



She added that the data reveal nuanced ways in which people experience these types of mass events, suggesting a normative population's resilience.



Margaret Swarbrick, associate director of the Center of Alcohol and Substance Use Studies, noted: “While some data has shown that the use of drugs and alcohol increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, we found that many also coped during its darkest days by doing healthy activities like cooking, reading and gardening.”&nbsp;



This underlines the fact that people demonstrated resilience by embracing healthier habits and hobbies to navigate the pandemic's negative impacts.



<h2 id="h-more-about-healthy-habits">More about healthy habits</h2>



Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is crucial for overall well-being and longevity. Here are some healthy habits you might consider incorporating into your daily routine:



<h3 id="h-balanced-diet">Balanced diet</h3>



Consume a variety of foods, including plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats. Limit intake of processed foods, saturated and trans fats, and added sugars.



<h3 id="h-regular-exercise">Regular exercise</h3>



Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week, coupled with muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week.



<h3 id="h-hydration">Hydration</h3>



Drink at least 8 cups (2 liters) of water per day, although this can vary depending on individual needs.



<h3 id="h-adequate-sleep">Adequate sleep</h3>



Adults typically need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night. Regular, quality sleep is critical for mental and physical health.



<h3 id="h-stress-management">Stress management</h3>



Regularly engage in activities that reduce stress, such as yoga, meditation, reading, hobbies, or other activities you enjoy.



<h3 id="h-regular-check-ups">Regular check-ups</h3>



Schedule regular check-ups with your doctor to monitor your health and detect any potential problems early.



<h3 id="h-mental-health-awareness">Mental health awareness</h3>



Pay attention to your mental health just as much as your physical health. Seek professional help if you are struggling with mental health issues.



<h3 id="h-limit-alcohol">Limit alcohol</h3>



If you drink, do so in moderation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines moderate drinking as up to 1 drink per day for women and up to 2 drinks per day for men.



<h3 id="h-no-smoking">No smoking&nbsp;</h3>



Avoid smoking and second-hand smoke. If you currently smoke, seek help to quit.



<h3 id="h-healthy-body-weight">Healthy body weight</h3>



Maintain a body weight that is healthy for your height and body type. This can typically be assessed using the Body Mass Index (BMI) or waist-to-hip ratio, but it's best to consult with a healthcare professional.



—-



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The pandemic prompted a surge in healthy habits

In the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic, researchers at...

Although many studies have shown that, in rodents, prenatal stress affects gut <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-gut-microbiome-is-shaped-by-what-we-eat/">microbiomes</a> way into adulthood, how long after birth such effects last in humans is less understood.&nbsp;



Now, a team of researchers led by the <a href="https://www.ucla.edu/">University of California, Los Angeles</a> (UCLA) has found that hardship experienced by mothers during their own childhood or pregnancy is reflected in the composition of their two-year-old children’s gut microbiome, which likely affects the latter’s socioemotional development. This study is the first to document the transgenerational effects of adversity on the human gut microbiome.



A growing body of research has shown that the gut microbiome affects brain and immune functioning and that changes in the community of microorganisms are connected to how hardship impacts children’s socioemotional development.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-prenatal-stress">Prenatal stress&nbsp;</h2>



Previous studies on rodents have found that prenatal stress disrupts maternal vaginal and gut microbiomes. Thus, since babies acquire their first gut microbes passing through their mothers’ birth canals, the mother's microbiome is likely to have a major influence on that of the offspring.&nbsp;



Studies conducted on humans have found evidence that, shortly after birth, stress experienced by the infant in the womb – as well as the mother’s own psychological distress – influence the infant microbiome.&nbsp;



Although the effects of prenatal stress on rodent microbiomes are known to persist into adulthood, until now scientists were not aware of how long after birth such disturbances remain in humans, or whether they could affect subsequent generations.



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



To answer this question, the researchers enrolled a cohort of 450 mother-child pairs in Singapore – when the children were two years of age – and investigated the consequences of maltreatment to mothers during their childhoods, anxiety while pregnant, and their children’s exposure to stressful life events.&nbsp;



Mothers were asked to recall abuse, neglect, or other maltreatment they experienced during their own childhoods and were screened for anxiety during the second trimester of their pregnancy.&nbsp;



In addition, the experts interviewed the children’s primary caregivers to assess what stressful events the children had experienced during their first two years of life, and tested their stool samples to map the composition of their microbiomes.&nbsp;



Finally, the scientists controlled for variables such as family income, which is known to serve as a proxy for childhood adversity.



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



The analyses revealed that children whose mothers reported more anxiety during pregnancy had microbiomes in which various species of microorganisms had populations of similar sizes – a metric biologists call “evenness” – which is different from the typically “lumpier” aspect of the microbiome, with some species being more abundant than others.&nbsp;



Moreover, children who experienced stressful life events after birth also exhibited less microbial genetic diversity, meaning that the microorganisms living in their guts were more closely related to each other than they usually are.



Although more experiences of adversity were found to be correlated with less microbial genetic diversity in each child, the amount of adversity did not appear to affect the similarity between different children’s microbiomes, which were still significantly different from one another.



“There are lot of questions around whether more diversity or evenness is better or worse when the gut microbiome is developing during childhood, so we don’t know if more is better at two years old,” said lead author Francesca Querdasi, a doctoral student in Environmental Biology at UCLA.



“But many of the species we found to be related to adversity are known to interact with the immune system in some way, suggesting that maybe the way the gut microbiome interacts with the immune system is different after adversity. There’s a lot that we need to explore in the future.”



<h2 id="h-adversity-and-the-gutmicrobiome">Adversity and the gutmicrobiome </h2>



The investigation also revealed that some kinds of behavioral and mental health problems were linked to an abundance of certain species in the gut microbiome. While none of these species were the same ones related to adversity in this study, some have been associated with adversity in previous research and could thus perform similar functions.&nbsp;



Since the brain-gut microbiome connection develops rapidly during infancy, it is likely that changes caused by adversity may significantly impact children’s socioemotional development. Further research in fields such as nutritional psychiatry is needed to assess how changes in diet could improve the gut microbiome and, consequently, physical and mental health.



“The microbiome gets a lot of attention and is very exciting, but it really is just one piece of the large and complicated puzzle of human health,” said senior author Bridget Callaghan, an assistant professor of Psychology at UCLA.



“Our study is part of a growing body of research showing the effects of early exposure and transgenerational experience on the microbiome. When we understand how experiences of hardship can influence the gut microbiome, we can then try to manipulate diet, supplements, and lifestyle to make positive impacts on an individual’s gut microbiome and broader developmental trajectory.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2213768120">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



<h2 id="h-more-about-the-gut-microbiome">More about the gut microbiome&nbsp;</h2>



The gut microbiome refers to the community of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other microbes, that live in the digestive tracts of humans and other animals. These organisms play a critical role in health and disease, and research into the gut microbiome is an active and rapidly expanding field.



<h3 id="h-key-aspects-of-the-gut-microbiome">Key aspects of the gut microbiome </h3>



<h4 id="h-diversity">Diversity</h4>



A healthy gut microbiome is diverse, containing many different types of organisms. This diversity helps to protect against disease by competing with harmful bacteria and other microbes for resources.



<h4 id="h-digestion">Digestion</h4>



The gut microbiome assists in the digestion of food, particularly substances that the body can't digest on its own, such as certain types of fiber. These microbes can break down these substances and convert them into useful products, such as short-chain fatty acids.



<h4 id="h-immune-system">Immune system</h4>



The gut microbiome plays a crucial role in the development and function of the immune system. Certain types of bacteria in the gut are known to interact with immune cells and influence their activity.



<h4 id="h-mental-health">Mental health</h4>



Emerging research suggests that the gut microbiome might also have an impact on mental health. This connection, often referred to as the "gut-brain axis," could potentially influence conditions such as depression, anxiety, and autism, although more research is needed in this area.



<h4 id="h-disease">Disease</h4>



Imbalances or changes in the gut microbiome, known as dysbiosis, have been linked with a number of health conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), obesity, cardiovascular disease, and even certain types of cancer.



<h4 id="h-probiotics-and-prebiotics">Probiotics and prebiotics</h4>



Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are beneficial for your health, especially your digestive system. Prebiotics are types of dietary fiber that feed the friendly bacteria in your gut. Both can help maintain a healthy gut microbiome.



<h4 id="h-personalized-medicine">Personalized medicine</h4>



Scientists are exploring the use of the gut microbiome in personalized medicine, as individual differences in the gut microbiome can influence how people respond to certain drugs and treatments.



—



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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Mothers' hardships are reflected in their child's gut microbiome

Although many studies have shown that, in rodents, prenatal stress...

Greenland, a white expanse of ice spanning an area three times the size of Texas, was not always so barren and frigid. According to a recent study published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.ade4248">Science</a>, a large portion of Greenland was an ice-free tundra landscape - perhaps covered by trees and populated by woolly mammoths - as recently as 416,000 years ago.&nbsp;



This revelation challenges the previous assumption that much of the Greenland ice sheet remained frozen for most of the last two and a half million years.



The discovery, made by an international team of researchers from the <a href="https://www.uvm.edu/">University of Vermont</a> (UVM), Utah State University, and fourteen other institutions, highlights the sensitivity of the Greenland ice sheet to moderate warming periods.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-harsh-reality">Harsh reality</h2>



The scientists found that, between 424,000 and 374,000 years ago, Greenland's ice sheet melted substantially, leading to at least five feet of global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-level-rise-will-disproportionally-affect-asian-megacities/">sea level rise</a>.&nbsp;



Intriguingly, the atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide, a significant driver of climate change, were lower then than they are today - 280 parts per million (ppm) versus today's 420 ppm.&nbsp;



This finding indicates that the ice sheet on Greenland may be more sensitive to human-induced climate change than previously understood, rendering it susceptible to irreversible, rapid melting in the upcoming centuries.



<h2 id="h-long-lost-ice-core">Long-lost ice core</h2>



The evidence for these startling revelations was unearthed from an unlikely source, a long-lost ice core collected by a secret U.S. Army mission during the Cold War.&nbsp;



Under the guise of the Arctic science station, Camp Century, the Army drilled through 4,560 feet of ice, extracting a twelve-foot-long tube of soil and rock from beneath the icy surface.&nbsp;



This icy sediment, initially lost in a freezer for decades, was accidentally rediscovered in 2017. Surprisingly, it held not just sediment but also leaves and moss, testaments to an ice-free landscape that might have been a boreal forest.



<h2 id="h-new-understanding-of-greenland-s-history">New understanding of Greenland's history</h2>



Using advanced luminescence technology and rare isotope analysis on the sediment from the ice core, the researchers have painted a dramatically different picture of Greenland's history.&nbsp;



Until recently, scientists believed Greenland to be a fortress of ice, relatively untouched by melting for millions of years. However, these new techniques allowed the team to create a detailed timeline of Greenland's thawing, revealing that large portions of the ice sheet melted much more recently than one million years ago.



"It's really the first bulletproof evidence that much of the Greenland ice sheet vanished when it got warm," says University of Vermont scientist Paul Bierman, who co-led the new study. The implications of this research are significant, particularly considering the present-day effects of climate change.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-twenty-three-feet-of-potential-sea-level-rise">Twenty-three feet of potential sea-level rise</h2>



Approximately twenty-three feet of potential sea-level rise is stored in Greenland's ice, placing every coastal region in the world at risk.



The study revealed that the sediment from the Camp Century ice core was exposed to sunlight - indicating an ice-free landscap - before being buried under the ice once more. This discovery was made using a "luminescence signal" within the sediment, which zeros out when exposed to sunlight.&nbsp;



Over time, in the darkness, minerals within the sediment accumulate electrons, forming a kind of geological clock. By examining the amount of these accumulated electrons, the scientists could determine when these sediments were last exposed to the sun. The team at Utah State University conducted these examinations in a specialized dark room, using advanced tools and repeated tests.



<h2 id="h-additional-insights">Additional insights&nbsp;</h2>



In the University of Vermont lab, scientists studied quartz from the Camp Century core. Ratios of beryllium and other isotopes gave the scientists a window onto how long rocks at the surface were exposed versus buried under layers of ice.&nbsp;



This data helped the scientists show that the Camp Century sediment was exposed to the sky less than 14,000 years before it was deposited under the ice, narrowing down the time window when that portion of Greenland must have been ice-free.



Understanding Greenland's past is not just about rewriting history books. It provides crucial insight into how its giant ice sheet will respond to future warming and how quickly it could melt. This discovery offers robust and precise evidence that Greenland is more sensitive to climate change than previously thought.&nbsp;



"Greenland’s past, preserved in twelve feet of frozen soil, suggests a warm, wet, and largely ice-free future for planet Earth, unless we can dramatically lower the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere," says Bierman.



The Camp Century core and its rich data have transformed scientists' understanding of Greenland's icy history. "We had always assumed that the Greenland ice sheet formed about two and a half million years ago - and has just been there this whole time and that it’s very stable," says study co-author Tammy Rittenour. "But this paper shows that it did."



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



While 416,000 years ago, there were no cities hugging coastlines, today, millions of people live in low-lying coastal areas. This makes the potential for a significant sea level rise due to the melting of Greenland's ice sheet a major concern.&nbsp;



"If we melt just portions of the Greenland ice sheet, the sea level rises dramatically. Most global population centers are near sea level," explains Rittenour.



The Camp Century study sends a clear warning to the world. It shows that the Greenland ice sheet has a history of melting during periods of moderate warming.&nbsp;



With today's rapidly increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, the chances of significant and irreversible melting are alarmingly high. The outcome of such an event would be catastrophic, given that Greenland's ice holds enough water to raise global sea levels by over twenty feet - a disaster for many coastal cities and nations.



—-



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Evidence of a greener Greenland reveals shocking reality of sea level rise

Greenland, a white expanse of ice spanning an area three...

Composition,With,Assorted,Raw,Organic,Vegetables.,Detox,Diet

A dedicated team of horticultural scientists from <a href="https://www.ecu.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Edith Cowan University (ECU)</a> in Australia is making significant strides in the effort to use melatonin in efforts to keep fruits and vegetables fresh for longer periods of time.



For the past year, they have been gathering and examining global research to evaluate the potential benefits of applying melatonin, a hormone naturally occurring in living organisms, to fresh produce.



The team's leader, Professor <a href="https://www.ecu.edu.au/schools/science/staff/profiles/professors/professor-zora-singh" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Zora Singh</a>, disclosed that a staggering 44 percent of fresh horticultural produce is wasted from farm to consumption. This loss is largely attributable to a phenomenon known as 'chilling injury'.



“You will often see abnormal ripening, sunken spots, pitting, hardening of flesh and browning of peel and pulp in cold-stored fruits, while browning of tissues, translucency and water-soaked lesions in the vegetables, that is what we call chilling injury,” he explained.



<h2 id="h-combatting-chilling-injury-with-melatonin">Combatting chilling injury with melatonin</h2>



Storage conditions play a critical role in the occurrence of chilling injury. Shippers store subtropical fruits and vegetables at average temperatures between 4–8°C. Tropical produce, however, requires a slightly warmer 10–20°C to sidestep this issue.



As the researchers delved into this area, the mounting evidence pointed to melatonin as a promising candidate for mitigating the effects of chilling injury in cold-stored produce.



Shoaib Shah, a PhD student and researcher on Professor Singh's team, noted that melatonin, also known as a sleep-inducing hormone in living creatures, is beneficial in reducing chilling injury symptoms and membrane leakage. It works by maintaining higher antioxidant levels, thereby keeping horticultural produce fresher.



Shah also emphasized the safety of melatonin application, labeling it a "safe alternative to hazardous chemical treatments, without any adverse effects on consumer health."



<h2>Keeping fruits and vegetables fresh linked to food security</h2>



The stakes are high in this melatonin research. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reducing-food-waste-greater-food-security-less-environmental-benefits/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Food security</a> continues to be a growing concern around the world, with food losses escalating each year.



Annually, we lose a shocking 13.2 percent of food, equivalent to a $400 billion value, between harvest and the retail market. This, according to a 2019 report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).



Furthermore, the <a href="https://www.unep.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)</a> revealed in 2020 that 17 percent of food production is wasted at the household, food service, and retail levels. This food loss and waste account for approximately 8-10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.



<h2>Steady decline in global fruit production</h2>



Professor Singh's work is even more critical when considering the steady decline in fruit production. Various factors link to this decrease. These include diminishing agricultural land, dwindling water supplies, climate change, and soil degradation. 



Chilling injury is another culprit. It causes 44 percent of fruits and vegetables to be unfit for human consumption worldwide.



Tropical and sub-tropical fruits, due to their high perishability, are particularly vulnerable. For example, we can store apples for up to nine months, but we can only keep berries refrigerated for seven to 12 days.



Speaking about the resilience of produce, Professor Singh compared grains and other harvested goods to fresh horticultural produce. He pointed out that fruits and vegetables pose more challenges, both in terms of growth and preservation. Singh declared this issue a global crisis, stressing the need for sustainable solutions.



"Fruit and vegetables are not only challenging to grow, preserving them is immensely difficult and this is a crisis affecting nations all over the world, so we need to find the solution to keep producing food from the earth in a sustainable way,” he said.



Professor Singh, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/87559129.2023.2212042" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">along with his research team</a>, is working diligently to counter global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fungal-infections-are-threatening-global-food-security/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">food and nutritional security challenges</a>. Their focus is on enhancing production technology and curbing postharvest losses in fresh horticultural produce, from farm to fork. Melatonin may be an unlikely savior.



<h2>More about melatonin</h2>



The pineal gland in the brain primarily produces melatonin, a hormone naturally occurring within the body. Its primary function is to regulate sleep-wake cycles, or circadian rhythms, making it a critical component of the body's internal clock.



<h3>Production and release</h3>



Light exposure closely ties to the production and release of melatonin. When darkness falls, the pineal gland responds by synthesizing melatonin from the amino acid tryptophan. This occurs through a process that also involves the neurotransmitter serotonin.



The elevated levels of melatonin in the bloodstream signal the body that it is time to sleep. Conversely, during daylight hours, the production of melatonin decreases. This change helps to maintain alertness and wakefulness.



<h3>Functions and effects</h3>



Beyond its role in sleep regulation, melatonin serves other functions in the body. It acts as an antioxidant, helping to protect cells from damage by free radicals. Research suggests that melatonin might enhance the immune system, support eye health, and have potential anti-cancer properties.



Melatonin also helps in regulating body temperature, blood pressure, and hormone levels. Its role in sleep regulation is beneficial for various physiological processes such as memory consolidation and tissue repair, which primarily occur during sleep.



<h3>Melatonin supplements</h3>



Due to its role in promoting sleep, synthetic melatonin is available as an over-the-counter supplement in many countries. It is often used to treat insomnia and other sleep disorders, combat jet lag, and help shift workers adjust to new sleep schedules.



However, while melatonin supplements are generally safe for short-term use, they can cause side effects like headaches, dizziness, and daytime sleepiness. Long-term effects of melatonin supplement use are still being studied.



<h3>Melatonin in animals and plants</h3>



In addition to humans, many animals produce melatonin, and it plays a crucial role in their seasonal breeding, hibernation, and migration patterns. Plants also produce melatonin, where it functions as an antioxidant and helps to regulate growth.



<h3>Research and future directions</h3>



Ongoing research is investigating melatonin's potential benefits for various health conditions such as heart disease, Alzheimer's, and cancer. Studies are also assessing the hormone's potential effects on mental health disorders like depression and anxiety. However, more clinical trials are needed to fully understand these potential uses and their implications for treatment.



In summary, melatonin is a hormone with significant roles in sleep regulation and other physiological functions. It continues to be the subject of extensive research due to its potential health benefits and use as a treatment for various conditions. As with all substances, it should be used responsibly, and under the guidance of a healthcare professional.

Melatonin keeps fruits and vegetables fresh as well as helping you sleep

A dedicated team of horticultural scientists from Edith Cowan University...

A groundbreaking study from the <a href="https://www.unl.edu/home/">University of Nebraska-Lincoln</a> has revealed that microwaving plastic baby food containers can result in the release of billions of tiny plastic particles, raising serious concerns about the health implications for infants and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/children-are-willing-to-try-vegetables-when-theyre-rewarded/">toddlers</a>.&nbsp;



The research team found that when microwaved, each square centimeter of these containers can discharge in some cases over 2 billion nanoplastics and 4 million microplastics.



<h2 id="h-alarming-discovery">Alarming discovery&nbsp;</h2>



While the potential health risks of ingesting these tiny plastic particles are yet to be fully understood, the study made a startling revelation: up to 75 percent of cultured embryonic kidney cells perished after just two days of exposure to these particles.&nbsp;



This finding underpins the 2022 report by the World Health Organization (WHO), which advises limiting exposure to micro- and nanoplastics.



<h2 id="h-need-for-public-awareness">Need for public awareness</h2>



Kazi Albab Hussain, the study's lead author and a doctoral student in civil and environmental engineering at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, emphasized the need for public awareness.&nbsp;



"It is really important to know how many micro- and nanoplastics we are taking in," said Hussain. "When we eat specific foods, we are generally informed or have an idea about their caloric content, sugar levels, other nutrients. I believe it’s equally important that we are aware of the number of plastic particles present in our food."



According to Hussain, understanding the quantity of micro- and nanoplastics we consume could be key to grasping the potential harm they might cause. He notes that several studies, including their own, demonstrate a strong link between the toxicity of these particles and the degree of exposure.



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



The idea for this research stemmed from Hussain's personal experience as a new father in 2021. The lack of studies focused on the release of plastic particles from plastic containers and pouches, which are common in the baby food market, motivated him and his team to investigate.



Using polypropylene baby food containers and a reusable polyethylene pouch, both approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the team conducted a series of tests. They filled the containers with deionized water or 3% acetic acid to simulate dairy products and other relatively acidic food items, then microwaved them at full power for three minutes in a 1,000-watt microwave.&nbsp;



The team subsequently analyzed the liquids for microplastics, particles at least 1/1,000th of a millimeter in diameter, and nanoplastics, particles even smaller.



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



The results varied depending on several factors, such as the type of container and its contents, but one disturbing trend was clear. Infants and toddlers consuming microwaved water or dairy products appear to ingest the highest relative concentrations of plastics.&nbsp;



Simulated experiments on refrigeration and room-temperature storage of food and drink over a six-month period also suggested that these practices could trigger the release of micro- and nanoplastics.



Even with his knowledge, Hussain acknowledges the challenge of avoiding plastics in childcare. "For my baby, I was unable to completely avoid the use of plastic," he admits. "But I was able to avoid those (scenarios) which were causing more of the release of micro- and nanoplastics. People also deserve to know those, and they should choose wisely."



<h2 id="h-kidney-cells-may-be-especially-vulnerable">Kidney cells may be especially vulnerable&nbsp;</h2>



In collaboration with Svetlana Romanova from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, the team exposed cultured embryonic kidney cells to the released plastic particles. After 48 hours, a staggering 77% of the kidney cells exposed to the highest concentrations had died. This outcome was more severe than the results of previous studies on micro- and nanoplastic toxicity.



The researchers speculate that kidney cells might be more vulnerable to these particles than other cell types. Additionally, the fact that polypropylene containers and polyethylene pouches release about 1,000 times more nanoplastics than microplastics raises concerns about the ability of these tiny particles to infiltrate cells.



<h2 id="h-safer-materials-are-needed">Safer materials are needed</h2>



The full implications of micro- and nano- plastic consumption require further exploration, but the findings underscore the urgent need for alternative solutions in baby food storage.&nbsp;



Hussain called for a concerted effort to develop safer materials. “We need to find the polymers which release fewer (particles),” he said.&nbsp;



"I am hopeful that a day will come when these products display labels that read 'microplastics-free' or 'nanoplastics-free.'" This is a crucial goal to ensure the safety of our most vulnerable populations.



The research is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.3c01942">Environmental Science &amp; Technology</a>.



—-



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Microwaving baby food containers releases billions of nanoplastics

A groundbreaking study from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has revealed...

A,Saber-toothed,Cat,Stands,Atop,A,Boulder,On,A,Grassy

With an eye toward the past, an international team of researchers has delved into the mysteries of the sabertooth cat. This fascinating and diverse group of ancient predators once roamed the African continent around six to seven million years ago.



This time period is especially significant as it's the same time hominins -- the group to which modern humans belong -- began their evolutionary journey.



From their detailed examination of one of the world's largest collections of Pliocene-era fossils in Langebaanweg, just north of Cape Town in South Africa, the researchers have unearthed two previously unknown species of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sabertooth-skull-offers-new-clues-about-the-extinct-mammal/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sabertooth</a> cats.



Their findings, published on July 20 in the <a href="https://www.cell.com/iscience/fulltext/S2589-0042(23)01289-0">scientific journal iScience</a>, also feature the first family tree of these formidable creatures from the region.



Senior author Alberto Valenciano (@paleo_alberto), a paleontologist at <a href="https://www.ucm.es/english" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Complutense University</a>, shares, “The known material of sabertooths from Langebaanweg was relatively poor, and the importance of these sabertoothed cats has not been properly recognized. Our phylogenetic analysis is the first one to take Langebaanweg species into consideration.”



<h2 id="h-studying-new-sabertooth-cat-species">Studying new sabertooth cat species</h2>



In total, the team described four species, including the newly discovered Dinofelis werdelini and Lokotunjailurus chimsamyae. Dinofelis sabertooths were widespread, leaving their fossil traces in diverse corners of the globe, from Africa to China, Europe, and North America. The researchers had anticipated discovering a new species of this genus, based on previous investigations.



However, the unveiling of a new Lokotunjailurus species was an unexpected twist. Previously, this genus was known only from Kenya and Chad. This finding suggests a broader geographic range for Lokotunjailurus across Africa around 5-7 million years ago.



Valenciano was a postdoctoral fellow at the Iziko Museums of South Africa. This museum was the home to all the sabertooth fossils analyzed in the study. Together with his international colleagues from China, South Africa, and Spain, they pieced together this remarkable project.



<h2>Creating a sabertooth cat family tree</h2>



In order to construct <a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/sabertooth-cat_family-tree_credit-iScience.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a family tree</a>, the researchers meticulously classified the physical traits of each sabertooth species. From the presence or absence of teeth to the shape of their jaws, skulls, and teeth structures, they captured this information in a matrix. This allowed them to deduce how closely related each sabertooth species was to its evolutionary relatives.



Their investigation reveals that the population of Langebaanweg's sabertooths, namely the Machairodontini, Metailurini, and Feline, reflects the rising global temperatures and environmental changes during the Pliocene epoch.



Specifically, the presence of Machairodontini cats, larger and capable of running at high speeds, suggests that the Langebaanweg region once hosted open grassland environments. However, the presence of Metailurini cats indicates the existence of more covered environments, like forests.



The coexistence of both these species suggests a diverse ecosystem of forests and grasslands in Langebaanweg 5.2 million years ago. Additionally, the higher ratio of Machairodontini species compared to other fossil sites in Eurasia and Africa signals a transition towards more open grasslands in southern Africa during this period.



The authors write, “The continuous aridification throughout the Mio-Pliocene, with the spread of open environments, could be an important trigger on the bipedalism of hominids. The sabertooth guild in Langebaanweg and its environmental and paleobiogeographic implications provide background for future discussion on hominid origination and evolution.”



<h2>Similar evolutionary timeline to China’s sabertooth cats</h2>



In an intriguing development, the team also found that the mix of sabertooth species in Langebaanweg closely mirrored that of Yuanmou in China. This implies a possible close evolutionary relationship between the Yuanmou's Longchuansmilus sabertooths and Africa's Lokotunjailurus species.



First author Qigao Jiangzuo, a paleontologist at <a href="https://english.pku.edu.cn/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Peking University</a>, says, “This suggests that the ancient environment of the two regions was similar or that there was a potential migration route between the Langebaanweg and Yuanmou.”



According to Romala Govender, a curator and paleontologist at the Iziko Museums in South Africa, more fossil evidence could bring further clarity to the relationships between these two sites. She says, “The two new sabertooths are only an example of the numerous unpublished fossils from Langebaanweg housed at Iziko in the Cenozoic Collections. This brings to the fore the need for new and detailed studies of Langebaanweg fauna.”



These new findings not only enhance our understanding of sabertooths but also open up fresh avenues for discussion and research in the broader field of paleontology. As we unravel these age-old secrets, we come closer to understanding the complex tapestry of evolution and environmental adaptation, woven millions of years ago.



<h2>More about sabertooth cats</h2>



Sabertooth Cats, also known as sabertooth tigers, encompass several species of prehistoric cats known for their iconic elongated upper canine teeth. They fall under the subfamily Machairodontinae within the family Felidae (true cats). Contrary to popular belief, sabertooth cats are not direct ancestors of modern tigers or lions. They do, however, share a common feline ancestor.



<h3>Taxonomy and evolution</h3>



The Machairodontinae subfamily, home to the sabertooth cats, emerged during the Miocene epoch (23 million to 5.3 million years ago). This group split into four distinct sects: the Machairodontini, Homotherini, Metailurini, and Smilodontini. The most famous of these, the Smilodontini, included the iconic species Smilodon fatalis, commonly known as the sabertooth tiger.



Throughout their existence, sabertooth cats experienced significant variation in size and tooth shape. This is a testament to their adaptability to different environments and prey. However, they went extinct towards the end of the Pleistocene epoch (2.6 million to 11,700 years ago). Scientists believe their extinction was likely due to a combination of climate change and the disappearance of large prey animals.



<h3>Physical characteristics</h3>



Sabertooth cats are most notable for their extended upper canine teeth. These enormous features could reach up to 11 inches (28 centimeters) in length in some species like Smilodon fatalis. These teeth, coupled with a strong jaw, made them lethal predators.



Contrary to popular belief, sabertooth cats' teeth were not suitable for biting into bone. Instead, they used these formidable weapons to deliver precise, debilitating bites to the soft throats or bellies of their prey.



In addition to their striking teeth, sabertooth cats possessed robust bodies and powerful forelimbs. Some species, such as Smilodon, were short-limbed with barrel chests, indicating strength rather than speed. They also had retractable claws like modern cats, useful in hunting and climbing.



<h3>Behavior and diet</h3>



Paleontologists believe that sabertooth cats were carnivorous predators that hunted large herbivores. Evidence from fossil records suggests a diet that included bison, camels, and young mammoths.



The sabertooth's hunting technique likely involved ambushing prey from a short distance. They probably used their powerful forelimbs to hold onto the victim before delivering a lethal bite with their long canines.



Sabertooth cats likely lived in social groups, as suggested by fossil evidence of healed injuries. Such healing indicates that injured individuals received care, which would likely occur in social groups.



Moreover, the abundance of Smilodon fossils found in the La Brea Tar Pits suggests they might have lived and hunted in packs.



<h3>Fossil record and discovery</h3>



Fossils of sabertooth cats have been discovered on every continent except Australia and Antarctica. The most extensive collection of Smilodon fatalis fossils comes from the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles. That area has provided a wealth of information about these captivating creatures.



The first scientific descriptions of sabertooth cats date back to 1842, when Danish naturalist Peter Wilhelm Lund described the genus Machairodus, based on fossils found in Brazil. However, the iconic Smilodon genus was not named until 1850, following discoveries in North America.



The sabertooth cats, with their iconic elongated canines and formidable hunting prowess, continue to fascinate scientists and the public alike. Although they have been extinct for thousands of years, ongoing research into their fossils continues to reveal intriguing details about their lifestyle, behavior, and place in prehistoric ecosystems. The sabertooth cat remains a symbol of prehistoric life and a testament to the wonder of natural evolution.

Two new species of sabertooth cat discovered in South Africa

With an eye toward the past, an international team of...

In a shocking turn of events, an asteroid larger than the Leaning Tower of Pisa made an exceptionally close approach to Earth, slipping unnoticed past NASA's monitoring systems. This giant asteroid, designated 2023 NT1, managed to avoid detection until two days after it had already whizzed past our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-planet-discovered-with-an-ocean-not-far-from-earth/">planet</a>.



The asteroid reached a startlingly close distance of around 62,000 miles from Earth. To put it in context, this is roughly a quarter of the distance between Earth and the Moon, a strikingly short distance in astronomical terms.&nbsp;



However, due to the unfortunate alignment with the sun, the asteroid was masked by sunlight, thereby evading early detection.



<h2 id="h-flying-under-the-asteroid-detection-radar">Flying under the asteroid detection radar</h2>



The asteroid, now moving away from Earth at an impressive speed of 25,000 miles per hour, boasts a diameter of up to 200 feet.&nbsp;



This size distinction places 2023 NT1 as larger than the 60-foot Chelyabinsk meteor that famously crashed into Earth's atmosphere in 2013, resulting in injuries to over 1,600 people.



Based on information provided by <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a> and the <a href="https://www.iau.org/">International Astronomical Union</a>, the close encounter with 2023 NT1 occurred at 10:12 UTC on July 13.&nbsp;



However, ATLAS South Africa didn't make the first recorded observation until two days later. Specialists specifically designed this four-telescope system to detect potentially hazardous asteroids.



<h2 id="h-was-the-asteroid-potentially-hazardous">Was the asteroid potentially hazardous?</h2>



In a social media discussion about the incident, amateur astronomer Tony Dunn speculated that, with a diameter of up to 200 feet, 2023 NT1 could be larger than the asteroid believed to have created the Meteor Crater in Arizona. 



This significant landmark near Flagstaff, spanning around 3,900 feet in diameter, is attributed to a collision that occurred approximately 50,000 years ago.



Although 2023 NT1's approach to our planet was alarmingly close, it is not technically classified as "potentially hazardous." 



The criteria for this designation require the asteroid to come within 0.05 astronomical units (roughly 4.65 million miles) of Earth and be larger than 459 feet in diameter. While 2023 NT1 meets the proximity requirement, its size falls short of the designated threat threshold.



<h2 id="h-the-sun-s-glare-obscured-nt1">The sun's glare obscured NT1</h2>



Despite its innocuous passage this time around, 2023 NT1's close flyby underscores the ongoing challenge in detecting some asteroids, particularly those obscured by the sun's glare. 



For example, the Chelyabinsk meteor of 2013 remained undetected due to its radiant point's proximity to the sun. The meteor eventually exploded in a spectacular fireball, releasing an energy equivalent to 500,000 tons of TNT and sending a shockwave twice around the globe.



In light of such incidents, there are proactive measures underway to mitigate future threats. The European Space Agency plans to launch its NEOMIR orbiting observatory around 2030 as one such initiative. Designers created this observatory to act as an early warning system, detecting and monitoring any asteroid approaching Earth from the direction of the sun.



Positioned at the L1 Lagrange point, a stable point in space between Earth and the sun, NEOMIR's infrared telescope aims to identify asteroids 65 feet and larger that are currently masked by sunlight.



<h2 id="h-planetary-defense">Planetary defense&nbsp;</h2>



Such efforts are part of the broader conversation around planetary defense, a topic that has gained substantial attention following NASA's successful Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission last September. During this mission, the DART spacecraft intentionally crashed into Dimorphos, an asteroid moonlet in the double-asteroid system of Didymos, marking humanity's first successful planetary defense test.



Despite these advancements, there are some asteroid types that may prove difficult, if not impossible, to deflect using current techniques, as indicated by recent studies. "Rubble pile" asteroids, like Itokawa, consist of boulders and rocks loosely clustered together. 



Due to their structure, these asteroids could potentially absorb the energy of an impact and continue on their trajectory, posing challenges to future mitigation strategies.



<h2 id="h-more-about-asteroid-detection">More about asteroid detection</h2>



Asteroid detection involves the use of various observational technologies and techniques to identify and track asteroids, particularly those that may pose a threat to Earth (also known as Near-Earth Objects, or NEOs).&nbsp;



<h3 id="h-ground-based-telescopes">Ground-based telescopes</h3>



Ground-based telescopes typically use charge-coupled devices (CCDs) to record images of the sky. Scientists then use software to compare images taken at different times and look for objects that have moved. The key ground-based facilities include the Catalina Sky Survey in the United States and the Pan-STARRS telescope in Hawaii.



<h3 id="h-space-based-detection">Space-based detection</h3>



Space-based detectors offer several advantages over ground-based ones. They can observe the sky continuously, aren't affected by the Earth's weather or daylight, and can detect objects that are faint or close to the sun, which are difficult to observe from Earth.&nbsp;



NASA's Near-Earth Object Observations (NEOO) program uses a space-based infrared telescope called NEOWISE to detect asteroids. Development is also underway for the NEO Surveillance Mission (NEOSM), previously known as the Near-Earth Object Camera (NEOCam).



Efforts are also underway to improve asteroid detection capabilities. For instance, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), renamed as Vera C. Rubin Observatory, which is under construction in Chile, will have a much larger field of view than existing telescopes. When it becomes operational, scientists expect it to significantly improve asteroid detection.



Scientists use data from these telescopes and detectors to calculate the orbits of detected asteroids and assess whether they pose a threat to Earth. The Minor Planet Center in Massachusetts is the global repository for such information.



<h3 id="h-detection-remains-a-challenge">Detection remains a challenge</h3>



However, even with these resources, asteroid detection remains a significant challenge. Many asteroids are very small or dark, making them difficult to spot, and the vastness of space means that there are many areas to search. 



Additionally, predicting the exact path of an asteroid is difficult due to the gravitational influence of other celestial bodies and the so-called Yarkovsky effect, where an asteroid's trajectory can be subtly altered by the radiation of heat from its surface.



Scientists and engineers continue to develop new technologies and techniques to improve asteroid detection, including better algorithms for processing images, new types of sensors, and proposals for new space-based telescopes. The goal is to find potentially hazardous asteroids as early as possible, providing time to take action if necessary.



—-



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Close encounter: Giant asteroid slipped by Earth last week, evading detection

In a shocking turn of events, an asteroid larger than...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Acid rain and a crisis solved.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-don-t-we-ever-hear-about-acid-rain-anymore-the-environmental-crisis-that-was-solved">Why don't we ever hear about "acid rain" anymore? The environmental crisis that was solved</h2>



Remember the 1980s when acid rain dominated headlines? Dire warnings about rain eating buildings, killing fish, and destroying forests filled every news cycle. Then, almost like magic, acid rain vanished from public discourse. What happened? Did we actually solve one of the late 20th century's most pressing environmental challenges?



The answer might surprise you. Unlike many environmental issues that drag on indefinitely, acid rain represents one of modern history's most successful ecological recovery stories. It's a tale of science, politics, and technology working together to tackle what seemed impossible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What was acid rain?</h2>



Acid rain isn't regular rain having a bad day – it's precipitation that became significantly more acidic due to air pollution. When power plants, factories, and vehicles burn fossil fuels, they release sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) into the atmosphere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The science behind it</h2>



Think of acid rain as nature's chemistry experiment gone wrong. These compounds react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids. When mixed with water vapor in clouds, they create precipitation with dangerously low pH levels.



While clean rain has a pH of about 5.6, acid rain could drop as low as 4.2 to 4.4 – roughly as acidic as tomato juice or coffee. According to US Geological Survey documentation, Scottish chemist Angus Smith first coined "acid rain" in 1872, but it didn't become a household phrase until the 1960s and 1970s when Swedish scientist Svante Odén documented its devastating effects on Scandinavian lakes and European forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The crisis at its peak</h2>



During the height of public concern, environmental damage was both widespread and visible. This wasn't some abstract future threat – people could see destruction happening in real-time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Environmental devastation</h2>



The most dramatic impacts were impossible to ignore. Research documented by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation shows that in the Adirondack Mountains, more than 200 lakes became so acidic they couldn't support fish life. The Adirondack Council reports that 409 lakes once supported brook trout, but many lost their fish populations due to acid rain.



By 1976, when scientists cataloged all acidified lakes in the Adirondack Park, researchers found that half of the lakes over 2,000 feet above sea level had no fish, according to studies published in environmental journals. The acidification process worked like a slow-motion disaster. As acid rain fell into watersheds, it gradually lowered pH levels. Fish couldn't survive in acidic water, and their food sources died off too.



Trees at high elevations showed stress directly linked to acid rain. It weakened them by leaching nutrients and making them susceptible to disease. Historical records show Germany's Black Forest saw nearly half its trees damaged by the mid-1980s.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Economic impact</h2>



Acid rain wasn't just environmental – it was expensive. Acidic precipitation corroded infrastructure, buildings, and monuments. Historic stone structures deteriorated at accelerated rates. Tourism suffered as lakes became fishless and forests declined. EPA economic analyses from the period documented repair costs mounting into billions annually.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The solution: government action and technology</h2>



Transformation from crisis to success required unprecedented cooperation between governments, industries, and environmental groups.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Clean Air Act of 1990</h2>



The turning point came with the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, signed by President George H.W. Bush. This represented a fundamentally new approach to environmental regulation, as documented in EPA historical records.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cap-and-trade success</h2>



Instead of mandating specific technologies, the 1990 amendments introduced something revolutionary: a cap-and-trade system for sulfur dioxide emissions. EPA program documentation shows this market-based approach set overall limits but allowed companies to trade emission allowances.



The genius was harnessing market forces to find cost-effective pollution reduction. Companies reducing emissions cheaply could sell excess allowances to those facing higher costs. Research published in environmental economics journals and EPA progress reports shows this resulted in dramatic SO2 reduction at a fraction of projected costs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Technology advances</h2>



Policy provided the framework, but technology made reductions possible. Studies in atmospheric science journals document the widespread adoption of flue gas desulfurization systems ("scrubbers") that removed sulfur dioxide before it reached the atmosphere. By the 2000s, new installations could remove over 95% of SO2 emissions, according to EPA technical reports.



The push coincided with cleaner energy development. Natural gas produces fewer sulfur compounds than coal. Wind and solar, emerging in the 1990s, captured growing market share, reducing reliance on high-sulfur coal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-we-don-t-hear-about-it-today">Why we don't hear about it today</h2>



Why did acid rain disappear from headlines? Simple: the problem was largely solved.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Success doesn't make news</h2>



There's an old journalism saying: "If it bleeds, it leads." Environmental success stories don't generate urgency like crisis reporting. Media attention shifted to other challenges: climate change, plastic pollution, and biodiversity loss. There's only so much environmental anxiety the public can absorb, and newer concerns replaced acid rain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mission accomplished</h2>



The primary reason is beautifully simple: interventions worked. EPA monitoring data shows sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990. Academic research published in environmental science journals confirms pH levels in formerly affected areas returned closer to normal. This represents one of history's most dramatic environmental recoveries. Studies by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation show fishless lakes now support healthy populations. Forests recovered, and building damage slowed dramatically.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-it-really-gone">Is it really gone?</h2>



The crisis is largely resolved, but monitoring data shows the problem isn't completely eliminated – it's managed to acceptable levels. Some areas still experience occasional events during high pollution periods. International environmental research indicates that rapidly industrializing Asian countries face similar problems to what we experienced decades ago, though they're implementing successful strategies.



EPA research shows nitrogen oxide emissions proved more challenging than sulfur dioxide, coming from vehicles and mobile sources. Climate science studies suggest changing weather patterns add complexity to how acid rain forms and falls.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What this teaches us</h2>



The acid rain experience proves that seemingly intractable environmental problems can be solved with scientific understanding, political will, and technological innovation. Environmental monitoring data shows recovery speed was remarkable – within a decade, measurable improvements appeared in air quality and ecosystem health.



Success came from bipartisan support across party lines. Policy analysis studies show the market-based approach appealed to those preferring economic incentives while achieving environmental goals. This support created lasting policy surviving political changes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h2>



Acid rain's disappearance from public consciousness represents environmental science's greatest success stories. Through effective regulation, technological innovation, and international cooperation, we transformed an overwhelming crisis into a manageable challenge.



Today's silence isn't because we forgot – it's because we solved it. The 1990 Clean Air Act, combined with technology and energy market changes, reduced acid rain emissions over 90%, according to comprehensive EPA data analysis.



This success offers hope for current challenges. It proves complex problems can be solved when science, policy, and technology work together. As we face climate change and plastic pollution, acid rain reminds us that dramatic positive change is possible.



Next time someone asks whether environmental regulations work, remember acid rain. It's proof that sometimes, we get it right.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Sources: This article draws from EPA official documentation and progress reports, peer-reviewed research published in environmental and atmospheric science journals, historical data from the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation records, US Geological Survey publications, policy analysis studies, and environmental monitoring data collected over three decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Frequently Asked Questions</h2>



1. Is acid rain completely gone? No, but EPA monitoring shows it's reduced to manageable levels. US sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990, making acid rain much less severe than the 1980s crisis.



2. How long did solving take? Environmental monitoring data shows significant improvements began within 5-10 years of 1990s emission controls. Full ecosystem recovery took longer – some areas need 20-30 years for complete recovery.



3. What made the solution successful? Clear scientific understanding, visible damage motivating action, bipartisan support, available technology, and innovative market-based policies like cap-and-trade.



4. Do other countries have acid rain problems? Yes, particularly rapidly industrializing Asian countries. However, international environmental research shows many implement similar successful control strategies.



5. Could acid rain return? Potentially, if regulations weaken or we return to high-sulfur coal without controls, though effects would take years to become severe according to environmental projections.



6. Can you recommend any teaching tools on the subject of "acid rain"? The United States Environmental Protection Agency produced a wonderful teacher's guide for ages 14 and under that you can find on the EPA website here: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf</a>



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The environmental problem we actually solved

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk Acid rain and a crisis solved. Why don't we...

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



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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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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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

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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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



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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



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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



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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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