Using ancient DNA recovered from prehistoric bones and teeth, scientists have built a 37,000‑year timeline of human infections, stretching from the icy mammoth camps of Siberia to medieval graveyards in Denmark. 



The new <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09192-8">genetic map</a> shows how early microbes began shaping human history. The scientists sequenced remains from 1,313 individuals and found genetic traces of 214 different pathogens. These range from hepatitis B viruses to the bacterium that causes plague.



The scale of the study provides an opportunity for researchers to test ideas about how culture, climate, and migration changed disease pressure over time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-skeletons-hold-disease-secrets">Skeletons hold disease secrets</h2>



The study was led by evolutionary geneticist Eske Willerslev of the <a href="https://globe.ku.dk/">University of Copenhagen</a> and the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a>.



“We’ve long suspected the transition to farming and animal husbandry opened the door to a new era of disease," Willerslev said. "Now DNA shows us it happened at least 6,500 years ago.” 



His team sifted through more than 400 billion sequencing reads and used chemical damage patterns to confirm which fragments truly came from ancient microbes. 



The analysis uncovered infections in roughly three‑quarters of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-decipher-the-genetic-history-of-400-medieval-skeletons/">skeletons</a>, indicating that illness was a constant companion rather than a rare ordeal. The oldest sample, dating back about 37,000 years, contained mostly oral bacteria still common today. 



The results revealed that blood-borne infections didn’t show up until people began settling down, storing grain, and living closely with sheep, goats, and cattle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-farming-sparked-new-infections">Farming sparked new infections</h2>



Livestock pens and crowded villages arrived in Eurasia around 8,000 years ago, and the genomic record registers an immediate uptick in disease. 



A clear inflection point appears at 6,500 years ago, the moment when <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7563794/">zoonotic pathogens</a>, the kind that jump from animals to humans, first show up consistently.



One notorious example is <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(15)01322-7">Yersinia pestis</a>, the plague bacterium, whose oldest genetic trace dates back to about 5,500 years ago in western Russia. 



This pushes the timeline of plague back two millennia and shows the microbe shadowing early farmers long before recorded pandemics.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-waves-of-new-infections">Waves of new infections</h2>



A second surge of infection follows the migration of <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature14507">steppe pastoralist</a> groups roughly 5,000 years ago, when horse‑drawn wagons carried people, livestock, and microbes across the continent.



Skeletons from that period revealed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stone-age-farming-population-decimated-by-plague-dna-skull/">plague</a>, relapsing‑fever spirochetes, and the parasites that cause vivax malaria.



Such waves of infection probably devastated local communities, clearing ecological space for newcomers and turning pathogens into unlikely allies of conquest.



Ancient immune‑gene data hint at strong selection beginning in the Bronze Age - a genetic fingerprint of relentless pressure from emerging pathogens.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-infections-from-animals">Human infections from animals</h2>



The catalog reveals that cowpox relatives, leptospirosis bacteria, and meat-borne yersiniosis showed up soon after pigs, sheep, and goats were domesticated. 



This finding aligns with estimates that around 60 percent of emerging infections come from animals. Close contact clearly reshaped the disease landscape.



The researchers also found skeletons that harbored two or more bugs at once, and these co-infections can worsen outcomes. An ancient Viking‑Age skull carried both hepatitis B and plague DNA, demonstrating how mixed infections may have driven sudden mortality spikes.



Curiously, no clear evidence of tuberculosis surfaced, probably because its bacteria rarely circulate in high numbers in healthy blood. But as the team notes, absence of proof doesn’t mean ancient lungs were safe - only that some microbes leave fewer traces in the molecular record.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-ancient-infections-teach-doctors">What ancient infections teach doctors</h2>



“Mutations that were successful in the past are likely to reappear,” said lead author Martin Sikora. She noted that the ancient genomes can help scientists anticipate future mutations.&nbsp;



Vaccine makers already test candidate antigens against panels of modern strains - a practice encouraged by the <a href="https://www.who.int/teams/health-product-policy-and-standards/standards-and-specifications/norms-and-standards/vaccine-standardization/regulation-and-quality-control-of-vaccines">World Health Organization</a> - and prehistoric DNA provides a deeper benchmark. Comparing lineages over millennia highlights which protein targets stay stable and which drift.



Old plague sequences, for instance, are missing the <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8547695/">ymt gene</a> that helps modern strains survive in fleas. This points to the key step that turned a local infection into a global pandemic threat. 



Similar evolutionary tipping points could lurk in viruses still endemic in bats or rodents. Public‑health planners can combine the new database with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-tipping-points-how-close-are-we-to-irreversible-change/">climate</a> and land‑use models to gauge spillover risk. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pathogens-rewrote-human-genes">Pathogens rewrote human genes</h2>



The skeletal archive captures natural selection in action. It shows that human alleles linked to inflammatory responses became more common after farming took hold. 



The same alleles, still common today, now raise the risk of autoimmune disorders in industrialized nations.



Immunologists argue that this trade‑off is the cost of survival: genes that helped ancestors fight livestock‑borne bugs can misfire in cleaner modern environments. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oldest-human-dna-ever-found-tells-story-of-lost-branch-on-human-neanderthal-family-tree/">Ancient DNA</a> provides the infection history that scientists need to test that idea.



"Infectious diseases have left lasting impressions on human genomes, as selective pressures from pathogens have continuously shaped human genetic variation," wrote the researchers.



"Where and when different human pathogens first emerged, how and why they spread, and how they affected human populations are important but largely unresolved questions."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09192-8">Nature</a>.



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Ancient DNA reveals 37,000 years of hidden human infections

Using ancient DNA recovered from prehistoric bones and teeth, scientists have built a 37,000‑year timeline of human infections, stretching from the icy mammoth camps of Siberia to medieval graveyards in Denmark. The new genetic map shows how early microbes began shaping human history. The scientists sequenced remains from 1,313 individuals and found genetic traces of 214 different pathogens. These range from hepatitis B viruses to the bacterium that causes plague. The scale of the study provides an opportunity for researchers to test ideas about how culture, climate,...

The most common type of hearing loss is sensorineural loss, which is caused by damage to cochlear hair cells. This condition is progressive because in humans and other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/solitary-mammals-live-shorter-lives-than-social-species/">mammals</a>, the cochlear hair cells cannot regenerate once they are lost or damaged.



People who are frequently exposed to loud noises, such as musicians and construction workers, have the greatest risk of sensorineural hearing loss, but it can affect anyone over time. 



In a new study from the <a href="https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/del-monte-neuroscience.aspx">University of Rochester Medical Center</a>, researchers are working to identify the mechanisms which may promote cochlear hair cell regeneration.



“We know from our previous work that expression of an active growth gene, called ERBB2, was able to activate the growth of new hair cells (in mammals), but we didn’t fully understand why,” said Dr. Patricia White. That particular <a href="https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/story/study-points-to-possible-new-therapy-for-hearing-loss">study</a>, led by Dr. Jingyuan Zhang, revealed that activating the growth gene ERBB2 pathway triggered a cascading series of cellular events through which cochlear support cells began to multiply and activate the creation of new sensory hair cells.&nbsp;



“This new study tells us how that activation is happening - a significant advance toward the ultimate goal of generating new cochlear hair cells in mammals,” said Dr. White.



The team used single-cell RNA sequencing in mice to analyze cells with an overactive growth gene (ERBB2 signaling). The results showed that ERBB2 promoted cell development by triggering the expression of multiple proteins and promoted "mitosis" - the process by which one cell divides into two cells. 



“When we checked this process in adult mice, we were able to show that ERBB2 expression drove the protein expression of SPP1 that is necessary to activate CD44 and grow new hair cells,” said study first author Dr. Dorota Piekna-Przybylska. “This discovery has made it clear that regeneration is not only restricted to the early stages of development. We believe we can use these findings to drive regeneration in adults.”



“We plan to further investigation of this phenomenon from a mechanistic perspective to determine whether it can improve auditory function after damage in mammals. That is the ultimate goal,” said Dr. White.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fncel.2022.1096872">Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience</a>.



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



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Can hearing loss be reversed in humans?

The most common type of hearing loss is sensorineural loss,...

Healthy,Food.,Balanced,Food,Cooking,Ingredients.,Clean,Diet,Eating.,Top

A team of researchers led by <a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/">Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health</a> has identified four healthy eating patterns that are associated with a lower risk of premature death. The eating patterns share key components including whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes.



According to the experts, study participants who scored high on adherence to at least one of the four healthy eating patterns were less likely to die during the study period from any cause, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, or respiratory disease.&nbsp;



The findings are consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which provides advice on what to eat and drink to meet nutritional needs and prevent disease.



“The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are intended to provide science-based dietary advice that promotes good health and reduces major chronic diseases. Thus, it is critical to examine the associations between DGAs-recommended dietary patterns and long-term health outcomes, especially mortality,” explained study co-author Frank Hu.



The researchers analyzed data from more than 75,000 women who participated in the Nurses’ Health Study and 44,085 men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. At the beginning of the research, all of the participants were free of cardiovascular disease or cancer. The individuals submitted dietary questionnaires every four years.&nbsp;



For the current investigation, the information was scored based on each of the four dietary pattern indexes: Healthy Eating Index 2015, Alternate Mediterranean Diet, Healthful Plant-based Diet Index, and the Alternate Healthy Eating Index. Participants with a high score on at least one of the indexes were found to have a lower risk of premature death from all causes.&nbsp;



“It is important to evaluate adherence to DGAs-recommended eating patterns and health outcomes, including mortality, so that timely updates can be made,” said Hu. “Our findings will be valuable for the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, which is being formed to evaluate current evidence surrounding different eating patterns and health outcomes.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2022.6117">JAMA Internal Medicine</a>.



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



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Healthy eating patterns reduce the risk of premature death

A team of researchers led by Harvard T.H. Chan School...

Darwin saw life in a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tree-species-diversity-makes-forests-more-productive/">forest</a> as a constant struggle between trees that needed to compete for access to sunlight, space, water and nutrients. The winners in the competition were the fittest individuals, and they would grow tall at the expense of others. But recently there has been a change in understanding and people have begun to see forests a cooperative systems. They talk of trees sharing chemical information, sending resources to their offspring and signaling when they’re injured or diseased – all by means of a network of fungal threads that appear to connect them underground.&nbsp;



The concept of trees “talking” to one another via fungal threads that spread out from the roots is so intriguing, it’s been promoted in popular media – even being raised in the Apple TV show Ted Lasso – and been featured in recent literature, both fictional and non-fictional. The network of fine fungal threads that branches out between tree roots in forests has even been dubbed the “wood-wide web,” but the science behind these ideas is unproven, cautions <a href="https://www.ualberta.ca/index.html">University of Alberta</a> expert&nbsp;<a href="https://apps.ualberta.ca/directory/person/karst">Justine Karst</a>.



In collaboration with Melanie Jones of the University of British Columbia and Jason Hoeksema of the University of Mississippi, Karst has published a peer-reviewed article in <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41559-023-01986-1">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>&nbsp;that reviews the current scientific literature about the topic. The researchers challenge three popular claims about the capabilities of underground fungal threads, known as common mycorrhizal networks (CMNs) that connect the roots of multiple plants.&nbsp;



“It’s great that CMN research has sparked interest in forest fungi, but it’s important for the public to understand that many popular ideas are ahead of the science,” said Karst, associate professor in the U of A’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ualberta.ca/agriculture-life-environment-sciences/index.html">Faculty of Agricultural, Life &amp; Environmental Sciences</a>.



Fungi are living organisms such as molds, yeast and mushrooms, some of which form threads as they grow underground. They cannot make their own food through photosynthesis, and have a special symbiotic relationship with trees and other green plants whereby they acquire food products in exchange for providing nutrients and water to the plants. So, while the existence of CMNs has been scientifically proven, some of the claims about the benefits they offer to trees and their seedlings have yet to be substantiated.



The researchers reviewed published evidence from existing field studies in order to evaluate the popular claims. They found that one of the claims, that CMNs are widespread in forests, isn’t supported by enough scientific evidence. Not enough is known about CMN structure and its function in the field, as there are “too few forests mapped.”



The second claim, that resources such as nutrients are transferred through CMNs from adult trees to seedlings, and that they boost the survival and growth rates of the seedlings, was also found to be questionable. A review of 26 studies, including&nbsp;<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00572-020-00940-4">one in which Karst is a co-author</a>, established that while resources can be transferred underground by trees, CMNs don’t necessarily bring about that flow. In addition,&nbsp; seedlings typically don’t benefit from CMN access. Overall, the review revealed roughly equal evidence that connecting to a CMN would improve or hamper seedling growth or survival, with neutral effects most commonly reported.



The third claim, that adult trees preferentially send chemical “warning signals” of insect damage to young trees through CMNs, is not backed up by a single peer-reviewed, published field study, noted Professor Karst and her co-authors.



The researchers say unsubstantiated information can shape and distort the public narrative about CMNs, and that could, in turn, affect how forests are managed.&nbsp;It is important, therefore, to back up these claims with solid empirical evidence before action is planned.



“Distorting science on CMNs in forests is a problem because sound science is critical for making decisions on how forests are managed. It’s premature to base forest practices and policies on CMNs per se, without further evidence. And failing to identify misinformation can erode public trust in science,” concluded the researchers.



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



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Can trees “talk” through fungal networks?

Darwin saw life in a forest as a constant struggle...

Over the last few centuries, societal changes have resulted in an increased buildup of carbon <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-emissions-from-fertilizers-could-be-cut-by-80-percent/">emissions</a> in Earth’s ozone layer, which ultimately drives global warming. It is widely known that this cycle will increase the likelihood of extreme weather events. What many people do not know, however, is that climate change is making it increasingly difficult for scientists to accurately forecast extreme weather in the short term.&nbsp;



To navigate this issue, a team of leading meteorologists led by the <a href="http://english.iap.cas.cn/">Institute of Atmospheric Physics</a> is exploring new weather prediction techniques. Their latest study suggests that the improvement of meridional potential vorticity gradient (PVy) modeling could be the key to progress. The researchers discovered that during extreme cold events across East Asia and North America in the last two months of 2022, the PVy was abnormally weak.&nbsp;



Through the analysis of the atmospheric circulation that occurred during the final months of 2022, the team found that large and stationary blocking weather patterns prevented other weather systems from following their path. This ultimately prolonged the extreme cold weather conditions in both North America and East Asia. The phenomenon was directly correlated with the unusually weak PVy readings.



“In <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00376-022-2331-8">our previous study</a>, we found that frequent cold waves were more likely to occur in mid-latitude Asia in the upcoming 2022-2023 winter season under the background of a warm Arctic and a cold tropical Pacific," explained study lead author Yao Yao. “ In our current study, we wanted to know what actually caused these cold surges and if the cold events in North America and East Asia were related."



This prediction proved accurate; throughout the first half of the 2022-2023 winter season, extreme cold events have been more frequent in Asia’s middle latitude areas. Furthermore, a weak connection was identified between East Asia’s cold weather in late November 2022 and the “bomb cyclone” and tornadic outbreaks across North America in mid-late December 2022.&nbsp;



Whilst these findings have led to progress in understanding recent extreme cold weather events, low PVy levels have overall been identified to create less favorable conditions for weather pattern predictability. It is understood that existing models simply cannot accurately predict the movement of blocking weather patterns when the PVy levels are so low.&nbsp;



“Low Arctic sea ice and La Niña favor the reduction of mid-latitude potential vorticity gradients (PVy), but there are many other factors affecting this gradient," explained Yao Yao.&nbsp;



“The next step is to identify these factors and try to establish a relatively sound statistical model, which is important for short-term weather and climate prediction. Once these factors are determined through future study, blocking weather pattern predictability will increase."



The findings of the study may help improve future extreme weather forecasting, which could reduce the likelihood of casualties and economical loss associated with unexpected cold snaps.&nbsp;



The research is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00376-023-2384-3">Advances in Atmospheric Sciences</a>.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:calumvaughan05@gmail.com">Calum Vaughan</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Extreme weather is becoming more difficult to predict

Over the last few centuries, societal changes have resulted in...

Planet,Earth,Globe,View,From,Space,Showing,Realistic,Earth,Surface

The asthenosphere is a layer in the upper mantle of the Earth’s structure. It lies just beneath the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melting-polar-ice-is-warping-earths-crust/">crust</a> and brittle outermost layer of the mantle, and is viscous rather than solid. The large plates of rock that form earth’s crust float on the asthenosphere, meaning that this layer plays a fundamental role in enabling the movements of these tectonic plates. The origin of the asthenosphere, and why it is soft enough to allow plate movement, are not understood.



Scientists previously thought that patches of molten rock they identified within the asthenosphere might be a factor. When Junlin Hua, at the time a graduate student at Brown University, was investigating seismic images of the mantle beneath Turkey, he became fascinated with the consequences of these molten rock patches under the mantle, and decided to investigate whether they contributed to the viscosity of the layer. He compiled similar images from other seismic stations around the world and produced a global map of the asthenosphere.&nbsp;



What he and his colleagues discovered was a brand new viscous layer in the lower asthenosphere, lying around 100 miles below the Earth’s surface. This hidden layer, named PVG-150 (positive velocity gradient at 150 kilometers) was present in many locations. What Hua and others had taken to be anomalous patches was in fact commonplace around the world, appearing on seismic readings wherever the asthenosphere was hottest.&nbsp;



The next surprise came when Hua, who is now at the Jackson School’s University of Texas Institute for Geophysics, and colleagues, compared this melt map with seismic measurements of tectonic movement. They found no correlation between these two variables, indicating that plate movement is not directly related to the areas where the molten layer of rock is present. These findings are published in the journal&nbsp;<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41561-022-01116-9">Nature Geoscience</a>.&nbsp;



“When we think about something melting, we intuitively think that the melt must play a big role in the material’s viscosity,” said Hua, who led the research. “But what we found is that even where the melt fraction is quite high, its effect on mantle flow is very minor.”



According to the researchers, it may not be the molten-ness of molten rock that is the key factor, but instead it may be the convection processes of heat and rock in the mantle that influence the shifting of the tectonic plates. Showing that the melt layer has no influence on plate tectonics means one less tricky variable for computer models of the Earth, said study co-author Thorsten Becker, a professor at the Jackson School.



“We can’t rule out that locally melt doesn’t matter,” said Becker, who designs geodynamic models of the Earth at the Jackson School’s University of Texas Institute for Geophysics. “But I think it drives us to see these observations of melt as a marker of what’s going on in the Earth, and not necessarily an active contribution to anything.”



While the details of the asthenosphere’s function may remain a mystery, this research will enable scientists to refine their models of plate tectonics in future, to reflect the latest findings. Knowing more about tectonic plates may help us to understand and predict earthquakes that result from plate movements, thereby reducing the destructive toll of these natural disasters.&nbsp;



Study co-author Karen Fischer, a seismologist and professor at Brown University, said this work is important because understanding the properties of the asthenosphere and the origins of why it's weak is fundamental to understanding plate tectonics



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



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Unexpected molten rock layer discovered under Earth’s crust

The asthenosphere is a layer in the upper mantle of...

According to a recent study published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fcosc.2023.1080561">Frontiers in Conservation Science</a>, the Eurasian lynx in France is currently on the edge of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eu-responsible-for-extinction-of-frog-populations/">extinction</a>. This elusive wild cat – which was reintroduced to Switzerland in the 1970s and moved across the French border by the end of the decade – is experiencing a rapid loss of genetic diversity and is thus in desperate need of help to survive.



“Given the rapid loss of genetic diversity, we estimate that this population will go extinct in less than 30 years,” said study lead author Nathan Huvier, an expert in Wildlife Monitoring at the <a href="https://www.athenas.fr/">Centre Athenas</a>, an environmental organization in France. “This population urgently needs new genetic material to become sustainable.”



Scientists estimate that the population of lynxes hidden deep within France’s Jura Mountains consists of about 150 adults and is poorly connected to larger and healthier populations in Germany and Switzerland. Due to a combination of poaching, car accidents, and inbreeding depression – a phenomenon in which insufficient genetic diversity causes problems with reproduction and survival – the growth of France’s lynx population has been suppressed.



In order to determine the genetic health of this population, the scientists collected genetic samples between 2008 and 2020. Because of the current precarity of this population, samples were only taken while attending to lynxes that were already injured of dead, as well as from orphaned cubs. “For us, this method is more ethical as there is no capture and thus stress induced for DNA sampling only,” Huvier explained.



The researchers collected a total of 78 samples covering 23 genetic loci and compared them to references from the parent lynx population residing in the Carpathian Mountains. The analysis revealed that, although the size of the French population of lynxes is likely between 120 and 150, the effective population size (the estimated number of healthy breeding individuals needed to display such a level of genetic diversity) is in fact only 38.



Even more alarmingly, the experts found that the inbreeding coefficient – a measure of the likelihood that two mating individuals from the same population are closely related – was very high. According to the data, there is a 41 percent probability that an individual’s two copies of an allele at any given locus in their genome were inherited from a common ancestor of both parents. Thus, without any new genetic material, this population will likely collapse.



In order to protect the remaining population, road signs rising awareness of the presence of lynxes, together with stricter enforcement of laws against poaching are urgently needed. Moreover, replacement of poached lynxes with conspecifics from healthier populations elsewhere and the exchange of orphaned cubs between wildlife rescue centers could also help reverse the genetic collapse this population faces.



“We want this work to support action for lynx conservation. Reintroduction, replacement of poached lynxes, and exchange of orphan lynxes between care centers are the best short-term solution for this population to remain alive, and it will give it a chance to develop and connect with other populations in Europe,” Huvier concluded.



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



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Lynx population in France is on the brink of extinction

According to a recent study published in the journal Frontiers...

Scientists have long been aware of the detrimental effects of poor air quality on people’s health. In pregnant women, previous research has shown that air pollution, such as smog, can lead to a series of adverse outcomes, including preterm birth (PTB, defined as delivery before the 37th week of pregnancy), which is one of the leading causes of infant mortality in the United States.



Now, a study led by <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/">Stanford University</a> has found that exposure to another type of potentially even more dangerous pollutant, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-smoke-dangerous-seniors/">wildfire smoke</a>, increases a pregnant woman’s chances of going into labor prematurely, a phenomenon known as spontaneous preterm birth.



Since wildfire smoke contains microscopic particles that can enter deep into the lungs, it can worsen pre-existing health conditions such as asthma or heart disease. These extremely fine particles can also travel for hundreds or even thousands of miles from their point of origin, thus posing significant threats for a large number of people.



To assess wildfire smoke’s impact on pregnancy, the scientists reviewed birth certificates and hospital delivery data from 2007 to 2012 of over 2.5 million pregnant women in California. Then, they compared this data with daily estimates of wildfire smoke intensity by zip code.



The analysis revealed that four weeks prior to conception through the first 20 weeks of pregnancy, 86 percent of pregnant women were exposed to at least one day of wildfire smoke, with an average exposure period of 7.5 days. According to the data, wildfire smoke was significantly linked to spontaneous preterm birth, with each additional day of exposure slightly increasing the odds of delivering an infant prematurely.



“Wildfires lead to acute and abrupt changes in air quality. And some emerging evidence suggests that wildfire smoke could be worse for your health than other types of pollutants,” said study lead author Anne Waldrop, an expert in Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Stanford.&nbsp;



“So, even as we work to decrease other forms of air pollution, with wildfires becoming more frequent, more intense, and happening on a much larger scale, exposure to wildfire smoke is a serious public health problem, especially for vulnerable populations like pregnant people,” she concluded.&nbsp;



The study is published in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2022.11.082">American Journal of Obstetrics &amp; Gynecology</a>.&nbsp;



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



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Wildfire smoke exposure linked to premature births

Scientists have long been aware of the detrimental effects of...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.omu.ac.jp/en/">Osaka Metropolitan University</a> has provided evidence for the first time that fish have a sense of self. Through a series of experiments, the researchers discovered that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/paraste-eating-cleaner-fish/">cleaner fish</a> (Labroides dimidiatus) can recognize themselves in a mirror, and that, in this process of self-recognition, the determining factor was not seeing their own bodies, but rather their faces.



The experts presented each cleaner fish with four pictures: a photo of themselves, one of an unfamiliar conspecific, one of their own face on an unfamiliar cleaner’s body, and one of an unfamiliar cleaner’s face on their own body. The fish did not attack photos with their own faces, but did attack those with the faces of unfamiliar fish (an aggressive behavior known to exist in the wild). These findings suggest that the cleaner fish were capable to determine who was in the picture based on the face on the photo, but not the body.



“Here, we show that cleaner fish,&nbsp;Labroides dimidiatus, likely recognize their own mirror image using a mental image of the self-face comparable to humans.&nbsp;Mirror-naïve fish frequently attacked photographs of both themselves and strangers. In contrast, after passing the mirror test, aggression against their own photograph and composite photographs of own face/stranger body declined, but aggression remained toward unfamiliar and composite photographs of stranger face/own body. Our results suggest that cleaner fish […] can recognize their own mirror image based on a mental image of their own face, rather than by comparing body movements in the mirror,” the authors explained.&nbsp;



To assess whether the fish considered photos of themselves as very close companions, the experts conducted a photograph mark-test, by presenting fish with a picture where a parasite-like mark was placed on their throat. While six of eight fish that saw the photo of themselves with a parasite mark were observed to rub their throats to clean it off, when showing those same fish pictures of themselves without parasite marks or of a familiar cleaner fish with parasite marks, they did not rub their throats.



“This study is the first to demonstrate that fish have an internal sense of self. Since the target animal is a fish, this finding suggests that nearly all social vertebrates also have this higher sense of self,” concluded study lead author Masanori Kohda, an expert in Animal Behavior at Osaka.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2208420120">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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



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Fish can recognize themselves in the mirror

A new study led by the Osaka Metropolitan University has...

According to a new study led by the <a href="https://www.helsinki.fi/en">University of Helsinki</a> in Finland, puppyhood and adolescence diet can have a significant influence on the incidence of canine chronic gastrointestinal problems later in life. More specifically, the experts found that feeding young <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-with-vegan-diets-may-have-better-health-outcomes/">dogs</a> a non-processed-meat diet (raw food) and giving them human meal leftovers and table scraps could protect against chronic enteropathy (CE) – a chronic condition involving persistent and/or recurrent diarrhea, vomiting, decreased appetite, abdominal pain, and weight loss - in their adulthood.



The scientists used data collected from an online feeding frequency survey consisting of answers from thousands of Finnish dog owners about what they fed their dogs at three different timepoints in life, what diseases their dogs have or had, and a variety of environmental factors.



“A large proportion of chronic gastrointestinal ailments can be treated with diet. That is why we wanted to look at the connection between puppyhood and adolescent diet and chronic enteropathy incidence later in life,” explained study senior author Anna Hielm-Björkman, an expert in Equine and Small Animal Medicine at Helsinki.



The analysis revealed that feeding dogs mainly or exclusively an ultra-processed carbohydrate-based diet (dog food or “kibble”) during puppyhood and young age are significant potential risk factors for CE in adulthood, while feeding them raw foods such as raw meats, raw organ meats, raw fish, raw eggs, bones, cartilage, or berries protected them later in life against chronic gastrointestinal problems.



“We could see an association between puppyhood and adolescent diet and the prevalence of chronic gastrointestinal symptoms later in life. Thus, proactive owners can influence their dogs’ gut health by providing a variety of fresh, “real” foods for the puppies and young dogs, even as an addition to a kibble-based diet,” said study lead author&nbsp;Kristiina Vuori, a researcher in Veterinary Medicine at Helsinki.



“However, the study only suggests an association. Finding out detailed mechanisms and confirming the causal relationship would require diet intervention studies. We have these under way,” she concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-27866-z">Nature Scientific Reports</a>.



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



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Puppy diets can prevent stomach issues later in life

According to a new study led by the University of...

Everyone knows that different types of edible mushrooms can be a tasty, versatile, and nutritious ingredient in a huge range of dishes, but this isn’t the only thing they’re good for. A new study published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jnc.15767">Journal of Neurochemistry</a> has revealed that one particular mushroom may also be excellent at boosting nerve growth and enhancing memory.&nbsp;



The mushroom in question is the Hericium erinaceus, otherwise known as the “lion’s mane” mushroom. Whilst alternative medicine communities have long believed that this particular fungus has a range of health benefits, this claim has now been scientifically verified by researchers from <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">The University of Queensland</a>.&nbsp;



"Extracts from these so-called ‘lion’s mane’ mushrooms have been used in traditional medicine in Asian countries for centuries, but we wanted to scientifically determine their potential effect on brain cells," explained lead researcher Professor Frederic Meunier.



Pre-clinical testing demonstrated that the lion’s mane mushroom had a significant impact on influencing the improvement of memory.&nbsp;



“Laboratory tests measured the neurotrophic effects of compounds isolated from Hericium erinaceus on cultured brain cells, and surprisingly we found that the active compounds promote neuron projections, extending and connecting to other neurons," said Professor Meunier.&nbsp;



“Using super-resolution microscopy, we found the mushroom extract and its active components largely increase the size of growth cones, which are particularly important for brain cells to sense their environment and establish new connections with other neurons in the brain.”



This discovery could have huge implications for future research into cognitive development processes and disorders. In particular, study co-author Dr. Ramon Martinez-Marmol said the new discovery could be applied to treat or protect against Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative cognitive disorders.



“Our idea was to identify bioactive compounds from natural sources that could reach the brain and regulate the growth of neurons, resulting in improved memory formation,” said Dr. Martinez-Marmol, and this is exactly what the team eventually achieved.&nbsp;



The study has also resulted in an increased interest among scientific communities for researching other “alternative medicines” used in the Eastern world.&nbsp;



Project collaborator Dr. Dae Hee Lee noted that the properties of lion’s mane mushrooms had been used to treat ailments and maintain health in traditional Chinese medicine since ancient times. “This important research is unraveling the molecular mechanism of lion’s mane mushroom compounds and their effects on brain function, particularly memory."



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By <a href="mailto:calumvaughan05@gmail.com">Calum Vaughan</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Edible mushrooms boost nerve growth and enhance memory

Everyone knows that different types of edible mushrooms can be...

As Valentine’s Day approaches, the use of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tinder-dating-apps-sex-partners/">dating apps</a> by people aiming to make new romantic connections ramps up. Unfortunately, according to a new study led by <a href="https://www.gsu.edu/">Georgia State University</a>, as many people are looking for love, increasingly more scammers are looking for ways to steal their money – a process known as “online romance fraud.”



“We have this explosion of crime taking place online. In the physical world, maybe you can scam one or two people at a time. But thanks to social media and technology, a scammer can send an email or chat message to hundreds of people at once, just trawling for victims,” said study senior author Volkan Topalli, a professor of Criminal Justice at Georgia State. “The scammers are effective because they are experts in extracting funds from people, and they’re also experts in identifying a vulnerable target.”&nbsp;



According to a cybercrime&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ic3.gov/Media/PDF/AnnualReport/2021_IC3Report.pdf">report</a>&nbsp;published by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 2021, online romance fraud losses have spiked recently, reaching almost $956 million, and thus making romance fraud the third-ranked cybercrime overall in terms of losses.



By gathering data from over 10,000 online testimonials on websites where victims share their experiences (such as stop-scammers.com or male-scammers.com), the researchers aimed to identify risk and protective factors for those targeted by romance scammers in order to develop a model for victim vulnerability and resilience.



“We really wanted to take advantage of open intelligence data sources to find out what these fraudsters were doing that was so effective. The purpose is to identify patterns and uncover strategies that users can adopt to protect themselves,” said study lead author Fangzhou Wang, a doctoral student in Criminal Science at Georgia State.



The analysis revealed a set of common and frequently successful techniques of deception, including the use of visceral, emotional triggers or influences, the manufacturing of apparent crises, the exploitation of similarity and likeability, or the eliciting of the victims’ sense of guilt. Other red flags that dating app users should pay attention to are scammers quickly asking their victims to migrate the relationship away from the app to a private email or messaging service, or pushing their victims into making quick decisions.



According to the scientists, common risk factors for potential victims include a lack of familiarity with new technologies (particularly in older people) and overconfidence or inexperience with initiating relationships online (especially in younger people).



Since scammers tend to use very similar linguistic cues to deceive their victims, online service providers should develop algorithm-based predictive tools to detect fraudulent attempts. “Potentially, dating and social networking sites can draw from the information from our study to launch educational or awareness programs for those who were previously victims, and those who may be potential victims,” Wang said.



“There’s nothing wrong with starting a relationship online. But you’re basically putting yourself out in the Wild West. You always want to keep in mind what we call ‘cyber hygiene,’ which means really looking at your interactions online and the apps that you use and being very cognizant of protecting yourself,” Topalli concluded.



The study is published in the<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12103-022-09706-4"> American Journal of Criminal Justice</a>.&nbsp;



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



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.

Online romance fraud: how scammers target their victims

As Valentine’s Day approaches, the use of dating apps by...

It has long been known that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/feeling-lonely-and-unhappy-can-age-you-faster-than-smoking/">smoking</a> tobacco causes a wide variety of health problems, although there is not yet data on the long-term effects of vaping electronic cigarettes. A new study from <a href="https://www.ucla.edu/">UCLA</a> suggests that using electronic cigarettes, as well as smoking tobacco, can greatly increase the risk of developing a serious case of COVID.



Study lead author Dr. Theodoros Kelesidis explained that smoking and vaping may result in a predisposition to increased inflammation. This, in turn, increases the potential severity of developing cardiovascular complications from COVID infection.



The discovery has strengthened the opinions of researchers opposing the prolonged use of e-cigarettes, which are considered by many to be harmless.&nbsp;



“E-cigarette vapers may be at higher risk than non-smokers of developing infections and inflammatory disorders of the lungs,” said Dr. Kelesidis. “Electronic cigarettes are not harmless and should be used for only the shortest time possible in smoking cessation, and not at all by nonsmokers.”



For the investigation, the researchers collected plasma from 30 vapers, 29 cigarette smokers, and 45 non-smokers. This dataset was unique in that it was collected before the pandemic, helping them gain insight into how participants' bodies reacted upon catching COVID. The plasma was tested for furin, ACE2, Ang II, Ang1-7, and ADAM17, since-identified proteins required for SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19) to replicate.



ADAM17 was of particular interest. This is a protein created by COVID-19 that consists of the proteins IL-6R, sCD163, and L-selectin. The tests found that the plasma from young vapers and smokers had increased levels of L-selectin, furin, and sCD163 when compared to those who did not smoke or vape.&nbsp;



The results suggest that furin and ADAM17 are more prominent in the immune cells of vapers and smokers, as well as in surface cells such as those found in the lung lining.



Whilst the study was limited in size and limited to blood plasma instead of also using tissue samples, the researchers still found a clear correlation between smokers, vapers, and COVID severity.&nbsp;



“The key message is that smoking is the worst, but vaping is not innocent,” said Dr. Kelesidis. “This has been shown for many lung diseases but not for COVID. It was quite an interesting and novel finding that vaping changed the levels of key proteins that the virus uses to replicate.”



The research findings have been published in <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00109-023-02286-8">Journal of Molecular Medicine</a>.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:calumvaughan05@gmail.com">Calum Vaughan</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Young people who smoke or vape have a higher risk of severe COVID

It has long been known that smoking tobacco causes a...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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