The Bronze Age is no longer a mystery box of pottery and tools. Thanks to detailed isotope and botanical analysis, we now see how deeply life changed around 1500 BCE in Central Europe. At the heart of this story is the Tiszafüred-Majoroshalom cemetery in Eastern Hungary.



The research, led by Tamás Hajdu and Claudio Cavazzuti, uncovered how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bronze-age-technology-is-a-modern-solution-for-clean-energy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">people</a> moved, ate, and related to each other during a time of major cultural shift.



This change was not gradual. It was fast, sweeping, and surprisingly well-documented. Over 130 isotope samples and dental microremains from Tiszafüred tell us how this community responded to larger forces that were shaping Bronze Age Europe.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-people-stopped-migrating-and-stayed-local">People stopped migrating and stayed local</h2>



Strontium isotope analysis shows a sharp drop in long-distance movement during the Late Bronze Age. Most <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bronze-age-teeth-discovery-highlight-the-evolution-of-the-human-diet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">people</a> buried at Tiszafüred were local. About 75% came from within 20 kilometers. Just one person in the entire sample clearly came from far away.



Migration didn't stop, but it changed. Middle Bronze Age newcomers often arrived from nearby highlands like the Upper Tisza basin. Later migrants came from farther west, such as Transdanubia or the Southern Carpathians. These areas were linked to the growing influence of the Tumulus culture.



"Mobility is more intense among adult males," the researchers noted, but the gap narrows in the Late Bronze Age. Female exogamy - marrying outside one's community - was rare and likely local.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-food-became-simpler-and-evenly-shared">Food became simpler and evenly shared</h2>



Nitrogen and carbon isotope values show a major dietary shift. In the Middle Bronze Age, people ate a wider range of foods. Diets varied by social class, especially for protein. Males had more access to meat.



In contrast, Late Bronze Age diets became less diverse and more equal. The reduction in nitrogen variability suggests fewer inequalities in protein access. This matched the social restructuring seen in settlement <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-nebra-sky-disc-reveals-crafting-secrets-of-the-bronze-age/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">patterns</a>. 



Tell-settlements were abandoned. Communities became less hierarchical and more dispersed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-millet-farming-reshaped-bronze-age-diet">Millet farming reshaped Bronze Age diet</h2>



Carbon isotope data and dental calculus analysis both confirm it: broomcorn millet changed everything. Introduced around 1540–1480 BCE, this high-yield, fast-growing cereal became a key part of the diet.



Microscopic remains from dental plaque confirmed millet traces in 6 out of 11 Late Bronze Age individuals. By contrast, just 2 out of 14 Middle Bronze Age people had eaten millet. 



Millet consumption wasn't just a trend. It represented a shift in how people fed themselves and their communities.



“The strong investment in broomcorn millet as key-cereal is considered one of the earliest phases in Europe,” noted the researchers. This shift likely helped communities support population growth during unstable times.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-millet-replaced-barley-in-bronze-age">Millet replaced barley in Bronze Age</h2>



Macro-archaeobotany confirmed these findings. Among 22 soil samples, wheat appeared in 60%, barley in less than 10%, and broomcorn millet was absent from Middle Bronze Age layers.



By the Late Bronze Age, millet showed up regularly in dental calculus. Millet's short growing season and high energy content made it ideal for mobile or resource-stressed communities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-less-inequality-more-uniformity">Less inequality, more uniformity</h2>



Social structure mirrored diet. The Middle Bronze Age featured elite males with high meat access and fortified tell-settlements. After 1500 BCE, these settlements disappeared. 



Community life shifted to scattered villages. Burial customs became less ornate, and hierarchies dissolved.



“The abandonment of the fortified MBA tell settlement is followed by a new phase with less structured centers, less stable social hierarchies and the reduced inequalities that we could clearly observe, at least at the level of food consumption,” the researchers wrote.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-not-just-herders-after-all">Not just herders after all</h2>



These results directly challenge long-held <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/5000-year-old-fort-hidden-in-the-jungle-confirms-ancient-society-sophistication-lidar/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">beliefs</a>. The Tumulus culture has often been called a herding society. But this study shows less meat and more millet. 



People ate local cereals, not just livestock. Protein intake fell even as communities adopted new crops and settlement styles.



"The old topos of the ‘pastoralist Tumulus Grave Culture’… is contradicted," the researchers concluded in their paper. The people of Tiszafüred lived complex lives that blended old ways and new demands.



This study of a Bronze Age site is one of the most detailed of its kind. It reveals the deep ties between food, identity, and community. 



Through teeth and soil, we see how people responded to change - not with chaos, but adaptation. And in doing so, they rewrote the human story in the Carpathian Basin.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-01113-z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



-----



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



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



-----

Millet farming marked a turning point in life during the Bronze Age

The Bronze Age is no longer a mystery box of pottery and tools. Thanks to detailed isotope and botanical analysis, we now see how deeply life changed around 1500 BCE in Central Europe. At the heart of this story is the Tiszafüred-Majoroshalom cemetery in Eastern Hungary. The research, led by Tamás Hajdu and Claudio Cavazzuti, uncovered how people moved, ate, and related to each other during a time of major cultural shift. This change was not gradual. It was fast, sweeping, and surprisingly well-documented. Over 130 isotope...

According to a recent study led by the <a href="https://www.ncsu.edu/">North Carolina State University</a> (NC State), droughts and heatwaves are likely to make <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-will-increase-dramatically-in-a-hotter-climate/">air pollution</a> worse for Californian communities that already have a high pollution burden, thus deepening pollution inequality along racial and ethnic lines. However, the experts argued that financial penalties for power plants could significantly reduce people’s exposure to air pollution, except during extreme heatwaves.



“We have known that air pollution disproportionally impacts communities of color, the poor, and communities that are&nbsp;already more likely to be impacted by other sources of environmental pollution,” said study lead author Jordan Kern, an assistant professor of Forestry and Environmental Resources at NC State. “What we know now is that drought and heatwaves make things worse.”



The experts estimated emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxides, and fine particulate matter from power plants in California across 500 different climate scenarios that could occur in future years, based on historical wind, air, temperature, and solar radiation values on the West Coast between 1953 and 2008. Then they estimated air pollution within individual counties by using data about the location of power plants in California and the amount of electricity they would be generating under different climate scenarios.



The analysis revealed that pollution will be worse in the hottest and driest years, most likely due to increased demands in the use of air conditioning. Moreover, since droughts can impact the availability of hydropower, the excess electricity that will be necessary will rely on highly polluting fossil fuel plants.



“One of the things we were interested in was teasing apart the relative roles of drought, which can be chronic, lasting for months or years, versus heatwaves, which can happen like a flash in a pan,” Kern explained. “We found drought is a driver of chronic pollution exposure, but heatwaves are responsible for these incredible spikes in emissions in a short period of time.”



In addition, counties with a higher existing pollution burden, along with those more diverse in terms of race and ethnicity were more likely to be significantly impacted by a rise in emissions during droughts and heatwaves.



When they simulated the impact of three policies which taxed power generators for increasing air pollution, they found that such penalties could be highly efficient in reducing pollution during droughts, but unfortunately not during massive heatwaves.&nbsp;



“Penalties make the more damaging power plants more expensive to operate, while it makes clean power plants comparatively less expensive. It incentivizes the system to switch to rely on more clean power plants, but that stops happening during really massive heatwaves. The power operators have no choice but to turn on every power plant. They can’t switch from the dirty power plants to the clean ones,” Kern concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-37080-0">Nature Communications</a>.



—



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



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

Heatwaves will exacerbate air pollution inequalities

According to a recent study led by the North Carolina...

Nearly one-third of Americans dealing with chronic pain are turning to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-plants-could-help-in-the-fight-against-climate-change/">cannabis</a> for relief, according to a study from <a href="https://www.uofmhealth.org/">Michigan Medicine</a>.



"Most states have enacted laws allowing individuals to treat chronic pain with cannabis," wrote the study authors. "Evidence is mixed about whether medical cannabis serves as a substitute for prescription opioids or other pain treatments."



"Accurate estimates of cannabis use or its substitution in place of pain treatments among adults with chronic noncancer pain are, to our knowledge, not available."



To investigate, the researchers surveyed 1,724 adults over the age of 18 with chronic pain who lived in one of 36 states that have active medical cannabis programs.&nbsp;



More than half of the respondents said that cannabis had enabled them to decrease their use of pain medications, including opioids. For nearly 40 percent of the participants, cannabis use was associated with a reduced need for physical therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy.



Less than one percent of the respondents said cannabis use resulted in more opioid, non-opioid or over-the-the-counter pain medication use. Furthermore, about 25 percent of chronic pain patients said they meditated more with cannabis use.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"Among adults with chronic pain in states with medical cannabis laws, 3 in 10 persons reported using cannabis to manage their pain," wrote the researchers. "Most persons who used cannabis as a treatment for chronic pain reported substituting cannabis in place of other pain medications including prescription opioids."



"The high degree of substitution of cannabis with both opioid and nonopioid treatment emphasizes the importance of research to clarify the effectiveness and potential adverse consequences of cannabis for chronic pain."



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.49797">JAMA Network Open</a>.



---



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.

Patients with chronic pain are turning to cannabis for relief

Nearly one-third of Americans dealing with chronic pain are turning...

Earth,Hour,2023,Event.,Planet,Earth,With,Sunlight,In,Dark

Did you know that every year, millions of people around the world join together to save energy and protect our planet? Earth Hour is a special event that helps raise awareness about climate change and encourages people to take action. In this article, we'll explore what Earth Hour is, why it's important, and how you can join the cause!



What is Earth Hour?



Earth Hour is an annual event organized by the <a href="https://support.worldwildlife.org/site/Donation2?df_id=14650&amp;14650.donation=form1&amp;s_src=AWE2010OQ18507A04091RX&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwlPWgBhDHARIsAH2xdNdGipaUbBibJeT4nCRMjFXavXPCisV4Ve63fIJVLxsFJ7ItleFx3NoaAg0GEALw_wcB">World Wildlife Fund</a> (WWF). It started back in 2007 in Sydney, Australia, and has since grown into a global movement. The main idea behind Earth Hour is for people to turn off their lights and electronic devices for one hour. This usually happens on the last Saturday of March, from 8:30 PM to 9:30 PM local time. This year, the date is Saturday, March 25.



Why is Earth Hour Important?



<ol>
<li>Raising Awareness</li>
</ol>



Earth Hour helps to raise awareness about climate change and the need to save energy. By turning off our lights and electronics for just one hour, we can show our commitment to protecting the environment. This event gets people talking about important issues and helps to spread the word about saving energy.



<ol start="2">
<li>Reducing Energy Consumption</li>
</ol>



Even though it's just for one hour, Earth Hour can make a big difference in our energy use. When millions of people around the world participate, it adds up to a lot of energy saved. This helps reduce the demand for electricity, which can help lower greenhouse gas emissions.



<ol start="3">
<li>Strengthening Communities</li>
</ol>



Earth Hour brings people together. When we all take part in this event, we are working as a team to help protect our planet. This can help build stronger communities and create a sense of unity in the fight against climate change.



How Can You Get Involved?



<ol>
<li>Turn Off Your Lights</li>
</ol>



The easiest way to participate in Earth Hour is to simply turn off your lights from 8:30 PM to 9:30 PM on Saturday, March 25, 2023. This small act can make a big difference when millions of people join in.



<ol start="2">
<li>Spread the Word</li>
</ol>



Tell your friends, family, and neighbors about Earth Hour. The more people who know about the event, the bigger the impact we can make. You can also use social media to help spread the word.



<ol start="3">
<li>Organize an Event</li>
</ol>



Get your community involved by organizing an Earth Hour event. This could be a candlelit dinner, a stargazing party, or a neighborhood gathering in the dark. Be creative and have fun while raising awareness for the environment!



<ol start="4">
<li>Make Energy-Saving Changes</li>
</ol>



Use Earth Hour as a starting point to make lasting changes in your life. Try to be more energy-efficient by turning off lights when you leave a room, using energy-saving light bulbs, or unplugging electronics when they're not in use.



Conclusion



Earth Hour is an important event that helps raise awareness about climate change and encourages us to take action. By simply turning off our lights for one hour, we can make a difference in the fight against climate change. So, mark your calendars and join millions of people around the world in celebrating Earth Hour. Together, we can protect our planet for future generations!



—



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.

Earth Hour: Saving our planet one light switch at a time

Did you know that every year, millions of people around...

Aerial,View,Of,Mist,,Cloud,And,Fog,Hanging,Over,A

Extreme storms are an underestimated cause of tree mortality in the Amazon, causing "windthrow" events in which <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/douglas-fir-trees-will-suffer-from-drier-air/">trees</a> are broken or completely uprooted. A team of experts at the Department of Energy’s <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/">Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory</a> has investigated how increasingly intense thunderstorms in a warming climate will affect forest mortality and carbon storage across the Amazon rainforest.&nbsp;



The researchers determined that by the end of the century, the Amazon will likely experience 43 percent more large windthrow events that affect at least 25,000 square meters of forest. The study fills a major gap in climate models, helping to clarify the link between storm conditions in the atmosphere and forest mortality on land.



“Building this link between atmospheric dynamics and damage at the surface is very important across the board,” said Jeff Chambers, director of the Next Generation Ecosystem Experiments (NGEE)-Tropics project. “It’s not just for the tropics. It’s high-latitude, low-latitude, temperate-latitude, here in the U.S.”



“We want to know what these extreme storms and windthrows mean in terms of the carbon budget and carbon dynamics, and for carbon sinks in the forests."



“It’s a complicated system, and there are still a lot of pieces of the puzzle that we’re working on. In order to answer the question more quantitatively, we need to build out the land-atmosphere links in Earth system models.”&nbsp;&nbsp;



For the investigation, the researchers compared atmospheric data with a map of more than 1,000 large windthrow events. The analysis revealed that a measurement known as CAPE (convective available potential energy) is a good predictor of major blowdowns.&nbsp;



“Storms account for over half of the forest mortality in the Amazon,” said study first author Yanlei Feng. “Climate change has a lot of impact on Amazon forests, but so far, a large fraction of the research focus has been on drought and fire. We hope our research brings more attention to extreme storms and improves our models to work under a changing environment from climate change.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-35570-1">Nature Communications</a>.



---



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.

Storms are a major source of forest mortality in the Amazon

Extreme storms are an underestimated cause of tree mortality in...

Macro,Of,A,Carabus,Monilis

In North America, nearly 2,000 species of ground beetles support crops by preying on insect pests and eating the seeds of bothersome weeds in the surrounding soil. A new study from <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Penn State</a> has investigated what the future looks like for ground beetles in the face of climate change.&nbsp;



The experts found that while some ground beetles will thrive under future conditions, others will struggle to survive. The difference depends on the beetles' unique traits and habitats.&nbsp;



“We know that climate change influences everything from coral reefs in the ocean to trees on land, but there’s less information available on how it affects insects,” said Professor Tong Qiu. “Ground beetles are everywhere - in your backyard, in your garden. They eat the pests and weed seeds that damage crops and are important food sources for birds. They are small insects, but they have large ecosystem impacts.”



Professor Qiu and his colleagues set out to investigate how ground beetles will respond to environmental changes based on raw data collected across the continent of North America. The team examined species as a group based on their unique traits such as preferred habitat, body size, and whether they fly, burrow, climb or run.



"We synthesized the abundance and trait data for 136 species from the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) and additional raw data from studies across North America with remotely sensed habitat characteristics in a generalized joint attribute model," wrote the study authors.



"Combined Light Detection and RAnging (LiDAR) and hyperspectral imagery were used to derive habitat at a continental scale. We evaluated climate risks on the joint response of species and traits by expanding climate velocity to response velocity given habitat change."



The analysis revealed that less mobile beetle species that do not fly may decline over time. However, the researchers explained that habitat conservation can mitigate the effects of climate change and reverse the trend in some areas. 



“We found that nonflying carnivores, which are critical pest control agents, are more likely to decline over time in a warmer, dryer climate,” said Professor Qiu. “If you have fewer carnivores, you’ll have more of the pests that can impact agriculture.”



According to the researchers, habitat conditions can play a large role in beetle population change and can actually reverse the trend. Professor Qiu noted that some habitats, such as those with dense understory plants and fallen tree logs, offer important microclimate conditions that help to mitigate the effects of climate change.



“We hope conservation biologists will use the information in this paper and the online map that we created to better manage habitats for insects in general,” said Professor Qiu. “Ground beetles are very beneficial to ecosystems, but they’re largely invisible to the average person. In this paper we’re showing the broad impacts they have on whole communities in forested and agricultural ecosystems.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/geb.13670">Global Ecology and Biogeography</a>.



---



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 will climate impact the beetles that protect our crops?

In North America, nearly 2,000 species of ground beetles support...

Leading researchers in healthcare, ocean science, and social science have evaluated the global human health and environmental impacts of plastic. <a href="https://doi.org/10.5334/aogh.4056">The Minderoo-Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human Health report</a>, shows plastics as a hazard at every stage of their life cycle.



The Commission’s key findings include:



<ul>
<li>Plastics cause disease, impairment, and premature mortality at every stage of their life cycle, with the health repercussions affecting vulnerable, low-income, minority communities, particularly children.</li>



<li>Toxic chemicals that are added to plastics and routinely detected in people are known to increase the risk of miscarriage, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and cancers.</li>



<li>Plastic waste is found throughout the global environment, with <a href="https://microplastics.whoi.edu/">microplastics</a> occurring throughout the ocean and the marine food chain.</li>
</ul>



“It’s only been a little over 50 years since we’ve been aware of the presence of plastics throughout the ocean," said co-lead author John Stegeman of the <a href="https://www.whoi.edu/">Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution</a>. “The Minderoo-Monaco Commission’s work is a significant leap forward in connecting the broad health implications of plastics - to the ocean and to humanity.”



Current plastic production, use, and disposal patterns are not sustainable and are responsible for significant harm to human health, the economy, and the environment. The researchers found that plastics account for four to five percent of all greenhouse gas emissions across their life cycle, making them a large-scale contributor to climate change.



The health repercussions of plastic production have been estimated to be $250 billion in a 12-month period. The experts also estimate that health care costs associated with chemicals in plastics cost hundreds of billions of dollars.&nbsp;



The presence of plastics is indicative of deeper social issues. The researchers found that fast food and discount stores prevalent in poorer communities are causing increased exposure to plastic packaging, products, and associated chemicals and impacts.



The report emphasizes the need to better understand and monitor the effects of plastics on marine species. It is particularly important to improve knowlege of the smallest micro- and nano-plastic particles (MNPs) and their impacts on the marine environment.



The Commission has urged a cap on global plastic production be included in the Global Plastics Treaty currently being negotiated at the UN. It is recommended that the Treaty address the impacts of plastics across their entire life cycle.&nbsp;



“Ocean health is intimately and intricately connected to human health,” said co-lead author Mark Hahn. “Our attention now needs to be on creating a broadly acceptable international agreement that addresses the full life cycle of plastics in order to prioritize the health of the ocean that supports us all.”



The Commission reports that these negative impacts could be avoided by implementing better production practices, alternative design, less toxic chemicals, and decreased consumption.



---



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



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

Ocean plastics are a hazard at every stage of their life cycle

Leading researchers in healthcare, ocean science, and social science have...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/">University of East Anglia</a> (UEA) has found that global warming may cause a rise in the number and spread of Vibrio vulnificus, a potentially deadly type of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-worlds-largest-bacterium-discovered-in-the-caribbean/">bacterium</a> that grows in warm shallow coastal waters and can infect cuts or insect bites during contact with seawater. According to the researchers, the number of V. vulnificus infections along the East Coast of U.S. – a global hotspot for such infections – has increased from 10 to 80 per year over the last three decades, with cases occurring further north each year.



While in the late 1980s, cases were found only in the Gulf of Mexico and the southern Atlantic coast below Georgia, today they can be found as far north as Philadelphia, and, by 2041-2060, they might even spread to encompass major population centers around New York, with cases doubling each year. Under medium-to-high emissions scenarios, by 2081-2100 infections may reach every Eastern U.S. state.



Although the number of cases is not very high at the moment, individuals infected with such bacteria have a one-in-five chance of dying and, even if they survive, this pathogen often damages their flesh and can lead to limb amputations or other similar outcomes. Moreover, this frequently called “flesh eating illness” is one of the most expensive diseases caused by a marine pathogen to treat in the US.



“The projected expansion of infections highlights the need for increased individual and public health awareness in the areas affected. This is crucial as prompt action when symptoms occur is necessary to prevent major health consequences,” said study lead author Elizabeth Archer, a postgraduate researcher in Environmental Sciences at UEA.



“Greenhouse gas emissions from human activity are changing our climate and the impacts may be especially acute on the world’s coastlines, which provide a major boundary between natural ecosystems and human populations and are an important source of human disease.”



However, the scientists estimate that, if emissions are kept low, cases may extend northwards only as far as Connecticut. Besides measures to mitigate climate warming, individuals and health authorities should be warned in real time about the risk of such infections in specific areas, while greater awareness programs for at risk groups – such as the elderly and people with comorbidities – should be developed.



—



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



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

Global warming increases risk of fatal bacterial infections

A new study led by the University of East Anglia...

A team of researchers led by the <a href="https://www.qut.edu.au/">Queensland University of Technology</a> (QUT) has recently found that the diet quality of fish across the world’s oceans could decline by up to ten percent as climate change impacts critical parts of marine food chains. This could have major repercussions, threatening <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-shrunk-global-fisheries/">global fisheries</a> and the livelihoods of billions of people worldwide.



The researchers investigated the possible impact of climate change on zooplankton, a highly abundant and diverse group of microscopic marine animals accounting for over 40 percent of the world’s marine biomass and representing the primary link between phytoplankton (which converts sunlight and nutrients into energy) and larger fish.



“Despite their abundance, diversity, and critical importance in transferring energy from phytoplankton to fish, knowledge about what shapes the composition of zooplankton communities across the world’s oceans is relatively limited,” said study lead author Ryan Heneghan, a lecturer in Mathematical Sciences at QUT.



“This is a challenge, since if zooplankton are affected by climate change, this could have important implications for the ocean’s ability to sequester carbon emissions, and the productivity of fisheries.”



The experts used a global marine ecosystem model to assess how the impact of climate change on all the major zooplankton groups – from single-cell zooplankton to krill and jellyfish – may affect the diet quality of larger fish feeding on zooplankton. The analysis revealed that future zooplankton communities will be increasingly dominated by carnivorous groups (such as chaetognaths) and gelatinous groups (like salps and larvaceans), at the expense of small crustacean omnivores such as copepods or krill.



Since gelatinous groups can directly access smaller phytoplankton for food, they may provide an effective shortcut for the transfer of energy from increasingly dominant phytoplankton to fish.&nbsp;



“This shortcut partially offsets the increase in the number of steps from phytoplankton to fish from shrinking phytoplankton and increases in carnivorous zooplankton. But it comes at a cost: these groups are gelatinous, having about five percent of the carbon contained in omnivorous zooplankton such as krill and copepods. In terms of nutrition, this would be like replacing a rib-eye steak with a bowl of jelly,” Heneghan explained.



“As a result, our model projects that the diet quality of small fish could decline across large areas of the world’s oceans, which would exacerbate declines in fish biomass from climate change by up to 10 percent.”



“For human societies, this could have far-reaching implications globally, since according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization fisheries are a key ecosystem service worth US$150 billion a year, providing more than 20 percent of dietary animal protein for 3.3 billion people, and supporting 60 million livelihoods,” he concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41558-023-01630-7">Nature Climate Change</a>.



—



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



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

Global fisheries threatened by climate change

A team of researchers led by the Queensland University of...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/">University of Leeds</a> in the UK has found that the Amundsen Sea Embayment – the fastest changing region in Antarctica – has lost over 3,000 billion tons of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctic-sea-ice-is-currently-the-lowest-ever-recorded/">ice</a> during a 25-year period. If all this lost ice were to cover Manhattan, it would reach a height of 61 kilometers, or 137 Empire State Buildings placed on top of one another.



To estimate the fluctuations of sea ice in that region, the experts calculated a variable called “mass balance,” referring to the balance between the mass of ice gain due to snowfall and mass lost through calving, a process in which icebergs form at the end of a glacier and drift out to sea. When this phenomenon happens faster than the replacement of the lost ice through snowfall – or when the snowfall supply drops - the Embayment loses mass overall, contributing to sea level rise.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The analysis revealed that, between 1996 and 2021, West Antarctica lost 3,331 billion tons of ice, contributing more than nine millimeters to global sea level rise. According to the experts, changes in ocean temperature and currents were the most important drivers of ice loss.



“The 20 glaciers in West Antarctica have lost an awful lot of ice over the last quarter of a century and there is no sign that the process is going to reverse anytime soon although there were periods where the rate of mass loss did ease slightly,” said study lead author Benjamin Davison, a research fellow in Climate and Atmospheric Science at Leeds.



“Scientists are monitoring what is happening in the Amundsen Sea Embayment because of the crucial role it plays in sea-level rise. If ocean levels were to rise significantly in future years, there are communities around the world who would experience extreme flooding.” &nbsp;



By using climate models showing how air currents move across the globe, the researchers found that the Embayment had experienced several extreme snowfall events over the 25-year study period – such as during the winters of 2019 and 2020 – as well as “snow droughts” or periods of very little snowfall that characterized the 2009-2013 period. Although the massive snowfalls managed to replace part of the ice lost during snow droughts, overall, the ice mass declined significantly over the past quarter of a century.&nbsp;



“We were really surprised to see just how much periods of extremely low or high snowfall could affect the ice sheet over two to five-year periods – so much so that we think they could play an important, albeit secondary role, in controlling rates of West Antarctic ice loss,” Davison explained.



“Ocean temperature changes and glacial dynamics appear strongly connected in this part of the world, but this work highlights the large variability and unexpected processes by which snowfall also plays a direct role in modulating glacier mass,” concluded co-author Pierre Dutrieux, a scientist at the <a href="https://www.bas.ac.uk/">British Antarctic Survey</a>.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-36990-3">Nature Communications</a>.



—



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



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

Antarctica has lost 3,000 billion tons of ice in 25 years

A new study led by the University of Leeds in...

Matcha tea is known for many health benefits such as boosting mental performance, promoting heart health, and supporting weight loss. Researchers at <a href="https://ewww.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/">Kumamoto University</a> in Japan have now taken a closer look at the anti-depressive effects of Matcha tea.



Using a mouse model, the experts found that Matcha powder activates neuronal connections through which dopamine travels to areas of the brain and body. In certain mice, symptoms of depression improved.



"Depression is the most-prevalent psychiatric disorder in the world, and the number of patients with depression is continuously increasing worldwide," wrote the study authors. "Although there are individual differences in the onset of depression, its pathogenesis is thought to involve a reduction in dopaminergic function in the brain."



"Postmortem brain analysis and positron emission tomography (PET) radioligand studies in humans have shown that dopamine D1 receptor expression and function are significantly reduced in the patients with major depressive disorder."



Previous research has shown that matcha tea consumption improves anxiety-like behavior in mice by activating dopamine D1 receptor signaling. The Kumamoto team set out to investigate whether the same dopamine boost may also improve symptoms of depression.



The researchers set out to investigate the effects of Matcha tea powder in socially isolated mice. They subjected stress-tolerant and stress-susceptible mice to social isolation. In mice that were susceptible to stress, a dose of Matcha tea appeared to reduce levels of depression.



“Matcha tea reduced the immobility time only in stress-susceptible mice that experienced greater stress from social isolation, and exhibited higher depression-like behavior, in comparison to the stress-tolerant mice," explained Dr. Yuki Kurauchi.



When the experts analyzed the brain activity of the stress-susceptible mice after they had consumed the Matcha tea, they found higher neural activity and dopamine production.



"These results suggest that Matcha tea powder exerts an antidepressant-like effect by activating the dopaminergic system of the brain, and this is influenced by the mental state of the individual," said Dr. Kurauchi.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu15030581">Nutrients</a>.



---



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.

Matcha tea relieves symptoms of depression 

Matcha tea is known for many health benefits such as...

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a>, researchers are describing how a South African daisy deceives male pollinators by building fake females on its petals. These fly-like structures, created by the South African daisy Gorteria diffusa, have fascinated scientists for decades. 



Each three-dimensional fake fly is quite complex, with hairy bumps and white highlights. As male flies approach the structure and attempt to mate, they inadvertently pollinate the flower.



The Cambridge team has now identified, for the first time, the mechanism behind this elaborate scheme. The experts found three sets of genes that are involved in building the fake female flies.&nbsp;



The researchers were surprised to find that these sets of genes play other roles in the plant as well. One set is responsible for making iron, one makes the roots grow, and the third set controls when flowers are made.



According to the researchers, the three sets of genes work together in the daisy petals to build the fly-like structures. They add iron to change the petal color from reddish-purple to blue-green, make hairs expand on the petal to add texture, and make the flies appear in "random" positions.



“This daisy didn’t evolve a new ‘make a fly’ gene. Instead it did something even cleverer - it brought together existing genes, which already do other things in different parts of the plant, to make a complicated spot on the petals that deceives male flies,” explained study senior author Professor Beverley Glover.



The researchers say the daisy’s petals give it an evolutionary advantage by attracting more male flies to pollinate it.&nbsp;



“We’d expect that something as complex as a fake fly would take a long time to evolve, involving lots of genes and lots of mutations," said study first author Dr. Roman Kellenberger. "But actually by bringing together three existing sets of genes it has happened much more quickly."



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2023.03.003">Current Biology</a>.



---



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.

South African daisy creates fake flies to attract pollinators 

In a new study from the University of Cambridge, researchers...

Bottle,Pouring,Virgin,Olive,Oil,In,A,Bowl,Close,Up

According to scientists, the Mediterranean <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dieters-often-think-theyre-eating-healthier-than-they-really-are/">diet</a> is most likely the best diet for preventing disease and aging. It is characterized by a high vegetable intake, a moderate fish and wine consumption, a low-moderate dairy consumption, and most importantly, significant amounts of olive oil, which is extracted from the fruits of the olive tree (Olea europaea L.), a species abundant in the Mediterranean basin.&nbsp;



Although the health benefits of olive oil are commonly attributed to its minor components such as polyphenols, less attention has been paid to oleic acid, which represents 70 to 80 percent of its composition. Now, a team of researchers led by the University of Seville has investigated oleic acid’s beneficial properties.



The experts found that the main function of this monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) is that of an energy molecule and a component of cell membranes. Since it directly regulates both the synthesis and the activity of antioxidant enzymes, it has strong antioxidant properties, thus benefiting both physical and mental health.&nbsp;



In the brain, oleic acid is a major component of membrane phospholipids, abounding in the neuronal myelin sheets, and thus contributing to proper cognitive functioning. In fact, studies observed a significantly decreased level of oleic acid in the brains of patients suffering from major depressive disorders and neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.



Moreover, oleic acid also has a powerful hypocholesterolaemic effect, by inhibiting the expression of various proteins associated with cholesterol transport, and thus reducing cholesterol absorption and preventing atherosclerosis. In addition, this acid is recognized as an anti-cancer molecule due to its inhibitory effects on the overexpression of oncogenes and their effects on programmed cell death.



Finally, the scientists discovered that oleoylethanolamide - a derivative of oleic acid – has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects and has recently been proposed as a potent therapeutic agent to treat conditions such as obesity.



Emerging research suggest that oleic acid may influence epigenetic mechanisms – direct modifications of DNA and DNA-associated proteins – while also modulating the immune system, particularly by regulating cells that are involved in inflammatory processes.



However, since most of the studies on olive oil have been conducted on animals, further research is needed to assess its properties and potential health effects in humans.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/1/224">Nutrients</a>.



—



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



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

Olive oil is highly beneficial for health

According to scientists, the Mediterranean diet is most likely the...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



---



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



---



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



---



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



---



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



---



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



---



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



---



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



---



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



---



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

News coming your way