Since its beginning in 1970, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2023-20-reasons-to-cherish-our-planet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth Day</a> has become one of the most significant global civic events. This year, as we mark the Earth Day’s 54th anniversary on April 22, the urgency to address environmental issues is greater than ever, particularly concerning the enormous <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-interlinked-crisis-of-plastic-pollution-and-global-warming/">proliferation</a> of plastics. 



Recent statistical analyses have shown that, over the last six decades, humanity has produced around eight billion tons of plastic, and a staggering&nbsp; 90.5% of this has never been recycled. The theme for this year’s Earth Day, “Planet vs. Plastic,” demands a 60% reduction in plastic production by 2040.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-plastic-planet">A plastic planet </h2>



The exponential increase in plastic production from a mere two million tons in 1950 to over 450 million tons annually today represents a dire environmental crisis requiring immediate action.&nbsp;



This dramatic escalation in plastic production, with half of all plastics ever produced being manufactured in the recent 15 years alone, indicates a trend that could potentially lead to a doubling of plastic production by 2050. Each minute, more than one million plastic water bottles are sold globally, contributing significantly to the environmental burden.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-millions-of-tons-of-plastic-waste">Millions of tons of plastic waste</h2>



Alarmingly, every year, approximately 11 million tons of this plastic waste are discarded into the oceans, wreaking havoc on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-stress-causes-undetected-changes-in-marine-ecosystems/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine ecosystems</a> and biodiversity. 



Despite significant advancements in recycling technologies, a paltry 9% of all plastic produced has been successfully recycled. This inefficiency in managing plastic waste is exacerbated by the longevity of plastics in the environment, with some types requiring up to 400 years to fully degrade.&nbsp;



Moreover, many plastics contain additives to prolong their lifespan and functionality, further complicating their disposal and recycling.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-critical-levels-of-plastic-in-the-environment">Critical levels of plastic in the environment</h2>



The pervasiveness of plastic in our environment has reached such critical levels that it now ironically contradicts the promises made by the plastics industry decades ago. An advertisement from the American Plastics Council in a 1997 edition of The New Yorker humorously declared plastic wrappers and containers as the "sixth food group," touted for keeping food contaminant-free.&nbsp;



Yet, the reality today is starkly different. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/contamination-crisis-microplastics-found-in-88-of-protein-sources/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Microplastics</a> have permeated every corner of our environment, infiltrating the food we consume and the water we drink. As scientists argue, the average human ingests the equivalent of a credit card's worth of plastic each week, with the long-term health impacts of this consumption still largely unknown and potentially devastating.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-drastic-changes-are-urgently-needed">Drastic changes are urgently needed</h2>



This growing body of evidence underscores a pressing need to reevaluate and drastically change our production, consumption, and disposal of plastics. The argument for maintaining current production levels is untenable in the face of such overwhelming evidence of harm.&nbsp;



It is imperative that we shift towards more sustainable practices, including enhancing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-find-cheaper-method-of-recycling-plastics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">recycling</a> efforts, reducing plastic production, and developing alternative materials that do not compromise the health of our planet and future generations. Ignoring these warning signs and continuing on our current path is not just irresponsible - it is morally indefensible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plastic-planet-initiatives-to-combat-the-crisis">Plastic planet: Initiatives to combat the crisis</h2>



On the global front, initiatives are underway to combat the plastic crisis, as it will be addressed in the upcoming fourth session of the <a href="https://www.unep.org/inc-plastic-pollution" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">United Nations Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution</a> meeting in Ottawa, Canada. 



The objective of this session is to forge an international legally binding agreement on plastic pollution, aiming to include marine environments. The hope is that by early next year, a new treaty could be ratified at the United Nations to combat plastic pollution by 2040.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-at-the-entire-life-cycle-of-plastics">Looking at the entire life cycle of plastics</h2>



Businesses play a pivotal role too in addressing plastic pollution. To truly make a difference, companies must look beyond isolated sustainability efforts and consider their entire supply chains.&nbsp;



This involves conducting Life Cycle Assessments, which analyze the environmental impacts of a product from its creation to its disposal, adhering to the ISO standard 14040.&nbsp;



The comprehensive approach allows businesses to understand and mitigate the environmental footprints of their products through their entire lifecycle.



Moreover, businesses need to innovate by investing in new materials and technologies to reduce dependence on single-use plastics. Designing products with their end-of-life in mind is essential for fostering a circular economy, where materials are reused and recycled, thereby reducing waste and environmental impact.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-making-sustainable-choices">Making sustainable choices </h2>



Ensuring compliance with environmental regulations throughout a product's life cycle is crucial for sustainable operations. Companies must manage regulatory and sustainability requirements diligently, from tracking registrations and substance volumes to classifying products and creating compliance documents.&nbsp;



This comprehensive approach ensures that businesses not only claim sustainability in their mission statements but also practice it through responsible supply chain management.



Individuals also have a significant role to play. Simple actions, such as using reusable bottles, straws, and shopping bags, can significantly impact plastic reduction. Additionally, engaging in local clean-up events and supporting environmental initiatives can amplify individual efforts.



On Earth Day, we should all commit to making long-term sustainable choices. By collectively advancing towards significant plastic reduction, optimizing recycling efforts, and enhancing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-urgent-plea-sustainable-climate-solutions-save-earth-humanity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sustainability practices</a> across all sectors of society, we can hope to preserve our planet for future generations. 



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Can we win the battle of Planet vs. Plastic? Drastic changes are needed

Since its beginning in 1970, Earth Day has become one of the most significant global civic events. This year, as we mark the Earth Day’s 54th anniversary on April 22, the urgency to address environmental issues is greater than ever, particularly concerning the enormous proliferation of plastics.  Recent statistical analyses have shown that, over the last six decades, humanity has produced around eight billion tons of plastic, and a staggering&nbsp; 90.5% of this has never been recycled. The theme for this year’s Earth Day, “Planet vs. Plastic,”...

New species of Cambrian predator discovered in 506 million year old shale. Fossils discovered in the Canadian Rockies belong to a new species of predator that dates back to the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animals-diversify-earth/">Cambrian Period</a>. 

This large predator had claws shaped like a rake, a circular shaped mouth lined with teeth, and could have grown up to a foot long. The species, named Cambroraster falcatus, was described from fossils unearthed by paleontologists at the <a href="https://www.rom.on.ca/en">Royal Ontario Museum</a> and the <a href="https://www.utoronto.ca/">University of Toronto</a>. 

The fossils were discovered in the Burgess Shale, home to one of the most <a href="https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/cambrian/burgess.html">abundant fossil deposits on Earth</a> and the most well-preserved record of Cambrian fossils to date. 

It’s an unprecedented discovery, made all the more exciting by how many fossil specimens were found in the region. 

“The sheer abundance of this animal is extraordinary,” said Dr. Jean-Bernard Caron, the leader of the expeditions that found the fossils. “Over the past few summers we found hundreds of specimens, sometimes with dozens of individuals covering single rock slabs.”

[caption id="attachment_1875869" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/reconstruction.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1875869" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/reconstruction.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="510" /></a> Reconstruction, Image Credit: Lars Fields © Royal Ontario Museum[/caption]

Thanks to a large number of fossils uncovered, the researchers were able to reconstruct the predatory species in detail. 

The species was given the name Cambroraster for its unique claws and falcatus for its large shield-like shell. 

“We think Cambroraster may have used these claws to sift through sediment, trapping buried prey in the net-like array of hooked spines,” said Jean-Bernard Caron.

Cambroraster falcatus would have been able to feed on both small and large prey. Its toothy, round mouth is common in the group Radionta, an extinct group of species that includes Cambroraster falcatus. 

“With its broad head carapace with deep notches accommodating the upward facing eyes, Cambroraster resembles modern living bottom-dwelling animals like horseshoe crabs,” said Joe Moysiuk, the leader of the study. “This represents a remarkable case of evolutionary convergence in these radiodonts.”

Radiodonta is said to be one of the earliest relatives of arthropods. 

“The radiodont fossil record is very sparse; typically, we only find scattered bits and pieces. The large number of parts and unusually complete fossils preserved at the same place are a real coup, as they help us to better understand what these animals looked like and how they lived,” said Dr. Caron. “We are really excited about this discovery. Cambroraster clearly illustrates that predation was a big deal at that time with many kinds of surprising morphological adaptations.”

The new Cambrian predator was described in a study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Main Image Credit: Jean-Bernard Caron © Royal Ontario Museum

New species of Cambrian predator discovered in 506 million year old shale

New species of Cambrian predator discovered in 506 million year...

A study led by the <a href="https://gladstone.org/">Gladstone Institutes</a> has produced the first high-resolution genome sequence of the Komodo dragon. The research is giving experts new insight into some of the lizard's remarkable characteristics as well as how these traits evolved. 

The Komodo dragon is the largest living <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/ancient-lizard-four-eyes/">lizard species</a> in the world, weighing as much as 200 pounds. These predators can detect their prey from miles away and can speed up their metabolism like warm-blooded mammals even though they are cold-blooded. As a result, Komodo dragons are capable of running in brief sprints at speeds of up to 12 miles per hour. 

In a close collaboration with scientists at UC San Francisco (UCSF) and Zoo Atlanta, the team studied the DNA of two Komodo dragons named Slasher and Rinca. 

Using computational tools, the experts compared the DNA sequences of these two lizards to other reptiles to understand what makes the Komodo dragon genome unique. In particular, the team was searching for changes in the genome that helped the Komodo dragon adapt to its environment. 

The study revealed that the evolutionary process of positive selection has modified several genes involved in the function of mitochondria, which control energy production along with heart and muscle functioning.

"Our analysis showed that in Komodo dragons, many of the genes involved in how cells make and use energy had changed rapidly in ways that increase the lizard's aerobic capacity," said study first author Abigail Lind. "These changes are likely key to the Komodo's ability to achieve near-mammalian metabolism."

Lizards usually slow down to almost a halt after exerting a lot of energy and are not known for their high aerobic capacity. 

"However, we know from working with Komodo dragons that they're capable of sustained aerobic activity, which could be swimming, running, or walking extremely long distances," explained study co-author Joseph R. Mendelson. "Our study showed us that the secret is in these mitochondrial adaptations to increase their cardiac output. This gives us an understanding of how these animals are able to do what we had been observing."

The researchers also discovered that Komodo dragons have a surprisingly large number of genes that are involved in a sophisticated sensory system which allows animals to detect hormones and pheromones.

"It will be interesting to determine whether this explains Komodo dragons' ability to detect prey over such large distances," said study senior author Benoit Bruneau. "One of the exciting things about this project is that we didn't know what to expect. This was an opportunity to look at a genome and say, 'Tell me the story of your organism.'"

"The significance of this study far exceeds Komodo dragons," said Mendelson. "It gives us a framework to compare other sequenced animals and understand the genetic basis for how all their characteristics have evolved. This project also brings to the forefront the importance of preserving biodiversity, and the important role zoos can play in broad-scale research without being injurious to the animals in our care."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol/">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Anna Kucherova

Scientists examine Komodo dragon DNA to find out what makes them unique

A study led by the Gladstone Institutes has produced the...

Innovations like electric cars and spaceships that can travel to the moon, which were once fabulous pipe dreams of the past, have become a reality. But what does the future hold for people today? 

According to a panel of experts and the British campaign <a href="https://www.smartenergygb.org/en">Smart Energy GB</a>, smart homes that combine futuristic technology with eco-conscious living will soon be all the rage. 

Imagine living in a home made with reusable and eco-friendly materials and a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/renewables-more-electricity-coal/">roof of solar panels</a>. 

Inside you’ll find shape-shifting furniture that changes color, smart appliances that store power, and a fridge that instantly cools or freezes food in seconds. Imagine wall screens and windows that can project any backdrop you want, and bedding that is temperature-controlled, so you never have to wake up in a sweat again. 

Sound too good to be true? Smart Energy GB reports that these innovations are all based on technology or solutions that are already available or being designed and could be ready for consumers by 2030. 

What’s key about Smart Energy’s smart home is the focus on eco-friendly living. Personal roof gardens, hydroponic herb gardens, toilets that convert waste into fuel, and roof wind turbines to help generate energy are all potential realities for homes of the future. 

Smart Energy GB commissioned the study and 2,000 UK adults were surveyed in the process. 

The survey showed that people in the UK are already looking to make their homes greener and seven out of ten of the participants said they would like in a more eco-friendly house. 

“Making homes greener certainly won’t mean making them low tech,” said Dr. Ian Pearson, a futurologist who was part of the panel of experts asked to speak about what the future would look like. “Our homes will use renewable energy, stored in home batteries, and will make our lives easier.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Main Image Credit: SWNS:South West News Service

Future smart homes will combine advanced tech with eco-friendly innovation

Innovations like electric cars and spaceships that can travel to...

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.ohsu.edu/">Oregon Health and Science University</a> may have discovered a new path for treating drug addiction by blocking dopamine receptors in the brain. 

In the past, there have been many studies focused on finding ways to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cure-cocaine-addiction/">treat drug addiction</a> and unhealthy reward-seeking behaviors. 

Now, new research using rats has found that dopamine receptors in the amygdala could be key to treating cocaine addiction. 

The amygdala, a cluster of neurons located in the medial temporal lobe, helps process both pleasure and fear responses and as such, the amygdala contains receptors for dopamine. 

Dopamine is a chemical in the brain, and because of its role in those feel-good highs we get when we do something pleasurable, it’s often referred to as the “pleasure chemical.”

While this overly simplistic definition of dopamine can make for a catchy news headline, the reality is that dopamine has much more to do with<a href="https://www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273(12)00941-5?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0896627312009415%3Fshowall%3Dtrue"> motivation and seeking out a reward</a> rather than the feelings experienced after. 

For the study, researchers Mathew Lattal and Earnest Kim trained rats to push a series of levers to release a dose of cocaine as a way to model drug-seeking behavior.

The researchers then blocked the dopamine receptors in different regions of the amygdala to see how it impacted the rat’s motivation to get the drug. 

Blocking receptors in the basolateral amygdala of the rats resulted in a gradual decrease in the rats pushing levers and self-administering the drug. 

When the researchers blocked receptors in the central amygdala, this caused the rats to rapidly cease pushing the levers, but when the same rats were put in a new environment, the drug-seeking behaviors increased again.  

The results, published in the journal eNeuro, show how targeting dopamine receptors in different regions in the amygdala could help weaken the addictive effects of cocaine. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/sdecoret

Blocking dopamine receptors in the brain could treat cocaine addiction

Researchers from the Oregon Health and Science University may have...

A therapy that involves tickling the ear with a small electrical current has been found to rebalance the autonomic nervous system for adults over the age of 55. Individuals who received a short daily therapy for two weeks reported improvements in mood, <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/poor-sleep-poor-nutrition/">sleep</a>, and overall quality of life. 

Known as transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS), the treatment delivers a small electrical current to the ear that transmits signals to the nervous system through the vagus nerve. 

According to researchers at the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/">University of Leeds</a>, the therapy may help protect people from chronic diseases that are associated with aging such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and atrial fibrillation. The team demonstrated that this type of stimulation has the potential to conserve health by recalibrating the body's internal control system.

"The ear is like a gateway through which we can tinker with the body's metabolic balance, without the need for medication or invasive procedures. We believe these results are just the tip of the iceberg," said study lead author Dr. Beatrice Bretherton.

"We are excited to investigate further into the effects and potential long-term benefits of daily ear stimulation, as we have seen a great response to the treatment so far."

Previous research from Leeds has shown that the electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve at the ear improved the balance of the autonomic nervous system in healthy 30-year-olds.

In the current study, the team set out to explore whether tVNS could benefit adults over 55, who are more likely to have unbalanced autonomic systems that could contribute to age-related health issues.

For 29 healthy participants, the therapy was effective in rebalancing and improving autonomic function. In addition, some of the individuals experienced mental health and sleeping benefits. The researchers found that these improvements were the most pronounced among those who displayed the greatest imbalance at the start of the study.

"We believe this stimulation can make a big difference to people's lives, and we're now hoping to conduct further studies to see if tVNS can benefit multiple disorders," said study senior author Dr. Susan Deuchars. 

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.aging-us.com/">Aging</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com/">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: University of Leeds

Electrical ear stimulation may help prevent age-related health issues

A therapy that involves tickling the ear with a small...

Innovative flood mapping in Kansas holds potential to help the nation. A new study from Jude Kastens, an associate research professor with the Kansas Applied Remote Sensing Program at the <a href="https://biosurvey.ku.edu/kars">Kansas University Biological Survey</a>, finally addresses the lack of real-time, wide-area predictions for floodwater extent and depths, an information gap that has plagued officials during previous <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/historic-flooding-nebraska-iowa/">major flood events</a>.

"I worked with the Kansas Water Office in May," Kastens said. May 2019 was the wettest month ever recorded in Kansas. "The ground was saturated, and the reservoirs were getting full, and with a lot more rain in the forecast, major flooding across central and eastern Kansas was looking imminent.” 

“Some years ago we'd developed this inundation library largely in collaboration with the Water Office and the Kansas GIS Policy Board but had never had the chance to put it through its paces in real time,” he continued. “It was based on the approach that I developed for my dissertation, and we had flood libraries for the greater eastern half of Kansas, based on the gauged stream network.” 

“For instance,” he said, “if you drive south of Lawrence on Highway 59, you'll see a USGS stream gauge box by the bridge over the Wakarusa River. There are about 200 gauges in Kansas that collect real-time stream stage information, and in times of flood, the National Weather Service provides stage forecasts several days out for a lot of these. We can take these data and map estimated current or future flooding, between gauges or around one."

Kasten developed a model, dubbed FLDPLN, or "Floodplain,” which maps potential inundation as a function of stage height by using basic hydrologic principles and gridded elevation data. The model doesn’t include many inputs or much supervision, therefore has an advantage over existing mapping methods like the more complicated (though, more precise) FEMA hydrodynamic models, which map 100-year floodplains.

By working with Kansas officials, Kastens was able to narrow down three critical locations where his mapping model was most needed — a 100-mile stretch of the Neosho River south of the John Redmond Reservoir, the Neosho and Cottonwood rivers above John Redmond, and Salina, home to the Saline River and Mulberry Creek.

Kastens’ model helped the Army Corps of Engineers when they were planning a release of large volumes of water from the John Redmond Reservoir, which had almost reached capacity. He was able to inform local leaders and the public of the potential flooding extent.

He hopes to automate the mapping process in order to lessen the amount of work officials must do when rivers and streams threaten to flood. Innovative flood mapping in Kansas holds potential to help the nation

"Time is of the essence during major flood events,” Kastens said. “We need to develop software tools to help automate the mapping process and hand it off to these other agencies so they have the freedom to map whichever scenarios they want. So, when that next flood hits, emergency response personnel can just run the models as they see fit.”

Furthermore, Kastens has already worked with a private firm to commercialize his technology and provide services to emergency management officials and those with flood-prone properties outside beyond Kansas.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Civil Air Patrol - Kansas Wing

Innovative flood mapping in Kansas holds potential to help the nation

Innovative flood mapping in Kansas holds potential to help the...

In a study published by the <a href="https://www.sfn.org/">Society for Neuroscience</a>, researchers analyzed neural activity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) which reflects the intention to drink alcohol. Using rats as a model system, the experts found that PFC brain activity was weakened in animals with a family history of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/quitting-alcohol-health-benefits/">excessive drinking</a>. 

The research has implications for the development of new targeted therapies to treat alcohol use disorders.

The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is the cerebral cortex that covers the frontal lobe. The PFC is involved in decision making, planning complex cognitive behavior, and controlling social behavior. This region of the brain becomes activated before a behavior is initiated, indicating intention. 

A team of experts led by David Linsenbardt of <a href="https://www.iupui.edu/">Purdue University Indianapolis</a> investigated neural activity in the prefrontal cortex of rats to determine whether this brain region processes the intention to consume alcohol.

Among two types of rats, the team compared activity before and during alcohol consumption. One type of rat had a family history of alcohol abuse, while the other type had no family history of excessive alcohol consumption. 

The prefrontal cortex was found to be activated in both groups of rats during the consumption of alcohol. However, prior to alcohol consumption, this region only became activated in rats without a family history of drinking.

The findings suggest that the prefrontal cortex directly encodes the intention to consume alcohol, but that this process is disrupted in animals who have a higher risk of abusing alcohol. For individuals with a predisposition to drink excessively, restoring prefrontal cortex activity could provide experts with a new approach for treating alcohol use disorders.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.eneuro.org/">eNeuro</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock, CLIPAREA l Custom media

Prefrontal cortex may provide new opportunities for treating alcoholism

In a study published by the Society for Neuroscience, researchers...

In a new study published by <a href="https://www.cell.com/">Cell Press</a>, scientists have identified the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/jellyfish-kill-toxin-genes/">genes</a> that give pufferfish their spiky skin structures known as spines. The researchers discovered that the development of pufferfish spines is similar to the process by which birds get their feathers or other animals grow hair.

"Pufferfish are some of the strangest fish in the ocean, particularly because they have a reduced skeleton, beak-like dentition and they form spines instead of scales--not everywhere, but just in certain patches around the body," said study co-author Professor Gareth Fraser of the <a href="http://www.ufl.edu/">University of Florida</a>.

When the researchers analyzed the evolution of pufferfish spines in embryos, they initially expected to find that the spines formed from scales. However, they found that the spines are developmentally unique from scales. The experts also discovered that the growth of pufferfish spines depends on the same network of genes that are commonly expressed in the feathers and hairs of other vertebrates. 

"It just blows me away that regardless of how evolutionarily-different skin structures in animals are, they still use the same collection of genes during development," said Fraser.

Using CRISPR and other editing techniques, the researchers blocked particular genes that are classic markers of skin appendage development. This reduced the number of spines that appeared on the pufferfish, and loosened the restriction on where the spines grew. According to Fraser, the spines are usually localized to specific areas on the pufferfish to enhance protection. 

"When pufferfish inflate by ingesting water or in some cases air, their skin becomes stretched, especially around the abdomen and is more susceptible to damage, such as being torn," said Fraser. "Spines reinforce the puffed-up abdomen. In extreme cases, some pufferfish have lost all other spines on their body and retain only the abdominal spines."

"What really drives these changes, in terms of loss or gain of spines, is multifactorial, but the shifts in spine coverage and morphology may allow pufferfish to take advantage of new ecological niches that are available to them. As the climate changes and environments become different, pufferfish may use these evolving traits to tolerate and adapt to change."

By sequencing the genome of the pufferfish, the team hopes to ultimately identify the differences that allow for the diversity in spine coverage and the transition from scales to spines.

"We can manipulate different things associated with pufferfish diversity, which gives us clues about the function of genes that are necessary for normal development and helps us understand the evolution and patterns of pufferfish spines," said Fraser. "Pufferfish are wildly-derived fish that are incredibly different from other groups, and ultimately, we want to see if there's something specific to the genome of the pufferfish that can provide clues to suggest mechanisms that allow them to create these weird structures."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/iscience/home">iScience</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Randi Kayu

Scientists uncover the genes that give pufferfish their protective spikes

In a new study published by Cell Press, scientists have...

If you search YouTube for videos about climate change or geoengineering, you will likely be shown conspiracy theory content that uses scientific terms to appear more credible, according to a new study. 

This “hijacking” of science to create content that directly opposes the worldwide scientific consensus is leading to the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/battling-climate-change-misinformation/">rampant spread of misinformation</a>. 

YouTube has millions of channels and nearly two billion active users per month. Many people use the platform to learn and enjoy watching videos about science, health, and technology. 

The driving force behind platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and even shopping sites like Amazon are algorithms that take mountains of data to create recommendations catered to each individual user. Search terms only strengthen these algorithms. 

In a new study, researchers from the <a href="http://www.rwth-aachen.de/cms/~a/root/?lidx=1">RWTH Aachen University</a> looked at how YouTube’s algorithms directed users to videos about science when using search terms like “climate change or “geoengineering.” 

The researchers wanted to know if videos tagged with these keywords offered non-biased and scientifically accurate information. 

“So far, research has focused on the most-watched videos, checking their scientific accuracy, but this doesn’t tell us what an average internet user will find, as the results are influenced by previous search and watch histories,” said Dr. Joachim Allgaier, the leader of the study. “To combat this, I used the anonymization tool TOR to avoid personalization of the results.”

Allgaier chose ten search terms related to climate change and analyzed 200 videos tagged with the terms and which covered topics about climate change and climate change modification. 

A large majority of the videos were not based in science and directly opposed the general scientific consensus about human emissions and climate change. 

Many of the videos go further than just spreading misinformation, the researchers found. Some terms like “geoengineering” have been hacked by conspiracy theorists and the term is used to describe and strengthen global conspiracies. 

For example, videos about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-debunk-chemtrails-conspiracy-theory/">chemtrails</a>, a notorious conspiracy theory, talk about geoengineering and climate modification. 

“Within the scientific community,’ geoengineering’ describes technology with the potential to deal with the serious consequences of climate change, if we don’t manage to reduce greenhouse gases successfully,” said Allgaier. “However, people searching for ‘geoengineering’ or ‘climate modification’ on YouTube won’t find any information on these topics in the way they are discussed by scientists and engineers.”

The study highlights an ongoing problem with YouTube and its algorithm, which has faced sharp criticism for promoting misinformation, hate speech, and conspiracy theories.

“Searching YouTube for climate-science and climate-engineering-related terms finds fewer than half of the videos represent mainstream scientific views,” says study author Dr. Joachim Allgaier, Senior Researcher at the RWTH Aachen University. “It’s alarming to find that the majority of videos propagate conspiracy theories about climate science and technology.”

The findings were published in the study <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2019.00036/">Frontiers in Communication</a>. 

--

By <a href="https://kaywritesstuff.com/">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/NiP STUDIO

YouTube conspiracy theorists are using science terms to appear credible

If you search YouTube for videos about climate change or...

Male-pattern baldness and hair loss have impacted people for centuries, as records of remedies for baldness date back to Ancient Egypt. 

While drugs like Propecia and Rogaine are effective at slowing hair loss, science has yet to find a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cure-balding-gray-hair/">treatment</a> that completely reverses the balding process. 

But now, there’s promising new evidence that stem cell therapy and 3-D printing could offer an innovative solution to balding.

Balding begins when a hair follicle goes dormant. The human scalp contains around 100,000 hair follicles, and the actual strand of hair is produced thanks to stem cells located at the base of the follicle called dermal papillae. 

At the root of the follicle, blood vessels help create cells which stimulates the hair protein growth. As the hair strand gets pushed up through the skin, it dies, but the hair at the root of the follicle keeps growing. 

Over time, follicles on the head will grow dormant and hair growth ceases. There has been a growing interest in findings way to generate new hair and reverse hair loss with cell therapy. 

Cell therapy involves taking stem cells from a person and using those to generate new treatments explicitly catered for that individual. 

One cell therapy company, a startup called <a href="https://stemsontx.com/">Stemson Therapeutics</a>, is working on cloning hair follicles. Hair strands are grown or farmed using the stem cells from an individual's blood, and these young and vigorous follicles are implanted near the dormant follicle. 

Stemson Therapeutics has successfully cloned and implanted hair into a mouse, but the company is about a year and a half away from human clinical trials. 

Researchers from <a href="https://www.columbia.edu/">Columbia University</a> have found a way to 3-D print a mold meant to hold follicles and the dermal papillae. 

“For a long time, we’ve been saying this is ten years away,” Robert Bernstein, a dermatologist in Manhattan who specializes in hair transplantation, told the <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2019/07/hair-for-all/594826/">Atlantic</a>. “But now it actually might be less.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Africa Studio

Cloning hair could offer a potential cure for baldness

Male-pattern baldness and hair loss have impacted people for centuries,...

The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nmining-moon-asteroids-nasa/">Moon</a> may seem like a barren, cratered lump of rock, but there’s frozen water trapped beneath the surface, and lunar explorers may soon be able to access it. 

In the past decade, researchers realized that there was water located the poles of the Moon. But now, scientists think there may be more water spread across both mid-latitudes and high latitudes on the Moon. 

Craters along the southernmost region of the Moon contain trapped water ice that has stayed buried and preserved thanks to the lack of sunlight and low temperatures. Some craters are so deep and positioned in such a way that light never touches the floor of the crater. 

It was long thought that these pockets of ice water would be trapped forever. 

However, <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2019/inside-dark-polar-moon-craters-water-not-as-invincible-as-expected-scientists-argue">new research</a> from the <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)</a> shows that water is escaping from the topmost thin layer of the surface of the Moon and is being transported to other areas, sometimes as far as 19 miles away. 

Solar wind and meteor collisions are kicking up the water molecules. 

“So every time you have one of these impacts, a very thin layer of ice grains is spread across the surface, exposed to the heat of the sun and to the space environment, and eventually sublimated or lost to the environmental processes,” said Dana Hurley, a planetary scientist at the <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2019/inside-dark-polar-moon-craters-water-not-as-invincible-as-expected-scientists-argue">Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory</a>.

Not only are ice water particles being scattered across the Moon, but comets hurling into the Moon also replenish ice stores. 

It is not yet clear just how much water is on the Moon and whether the frozen water particles are only located on the surface. 

However, the fact that water particles are dispersing across different latitudes on the Moon is good news for future lunar exploration. 

Astronauts may not have to descend into craters to study water on the Moon. Instead, analyzing soil samples from the sunnier regions of the Moon could yield the same data. 

“This research is telling us that meteoroids are doing some of the work for us and transporting material from the coldest places to some of the boundary regions where astronauts can access it with a solar-powered rover,” said Hurley. “It’s also telling us that what we need to do is get on the surface of one of these regions and get some firsthand data about what’s happening.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: NASA/Shutterstock/Dima Zel

There’s water on the Moon and we are getting closer to accessing it

The Moon may seem like a barren, cratered lump of...

It’s long been a mystery to scientists exactly how the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/meteorites-life-outside-earth/">meteorites</a> that land on Earth form their shapes. While most of these “shooting stars” that arrive on our planet are randomly shaped, many wind up being peculiarly cone-shaped. 

Leif Ristroph, an assistant professor in NYU's <a href="https://cims.nyu.edu/">Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences</a>, explains: “The shapes of meteorites are not as they are in space, since they are actually melted, eroded, and reshaped by atmospheric flight. While most meteorites are randomly shaped ‘blobs,’ surprisingly many– some say about 25 percent – are ‘oriented meteorites,’ and complete samples of these look almost like perfect cones.”

In order to explore how these cone shapes occur, Ristroph led a study that replicated meteoroids traveling through outer space. This was done by attaching clay objects to a rod, playing the part of the meteorites as they are moved through water. This method resulted in the clay pieces being carved into cones of the same angularity as the conical meteorites. 

[caption id="attachment_1875664" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/meteorite-copy.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1875664" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/meteorite-copy.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="758" /></a> Cone-shaped meteorite, Image Credit: NYU's Applied Mathematics Laboratory[/caption]

However, the research team knew that this experiment didn’t exactly replicate the conditions a real meteoroid experiences in outer space. Unlike the clay objects, meteoroids are not held in a static position – they can freely rotate and spin in the vastness of space. Knowing this, they began to wonder how meteorites were able to keep a fixed orientation during their journey to reach our planet.

To explore these questions, the team analyzed how different cone shapes fell through water. Their results showed that narrow cones flip over, while broad cones tended to flutter. But right in between narrow and broad, there were “just right” cones that flew straight. “Amazingly, these ‘Goldilocks’ cones of the ‘just right’ angles exactly match the shapes of eroded clay resulting from our experiments and of actual conical meteorites,” says Ristroph.

The findings of this study shed light on these visiting rocks, as well as provide more insight into the workings of the vast emptiness surrounding our own little rock.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: NYU's Applied Mathematics Laboratory

What’s behind the bizarre shape of certain meteorites?

It’s long been a mystery to scientists exactly how the...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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...

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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



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

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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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

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

Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://welcome.miami.edu/">University of Miami</a> Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science explores how changes in water temperatures have affected tiger shark habitats and movements in the North Atlantic Ocean. The study reveals that rising temperatures have caused the sharks to shift toward the poles over the past 40 years.



“Tiger shark annual migrations have expanded poleward, paralleling rising water temperatures,” explained study lead author Neil Hammerschlag. “These results have consequences for tiger shark conservation, since shifts in their movements outside of marine protected areas may leave them more vulnerable to commercial fishing.”



The researchers analyzed nine years of tracking data from satellite-tagged tiger sharks, combined with four decades of conventional tag and recapture data provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Cooperative Shark Tagging Program.



The experts found that during the last decade of record heat, for every one-degree Celsius increase in water temperatures, tiger sharks migrated further poleward by over 400 kilometers. They also migrated two weeks earlier than usual to waters off the northeastern coast of the United States.



“Given their role as apex predators, these changes to tiger shark movements may alter predator-prey interactions, leading to ecological imbalances, and more frequent encounters with humans,” concluded Professor Hammerschlag.



Video Credit: University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science



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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.

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

Today’s Video of the Day from the University of Miami...