In many places, men face a higher risk of disease but receive less timely care. These observations come from a broad international effort examining hypertension, diabetes, and HIV and aids.



Angela Chang from the <a href="https://www.sdu.dk/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Southern Denmark</a> led a team that gathered worldwide information on who falls ill and who actually receives help. The analysis pointed to important differences by sex, affecting disease rates and overall health <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/organ-aging-can-predict-diseases-decades-in-advance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">outcomes</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sex-differences-affect-health-outcomes">Sex differences affect health outcomes</h2>



Males have higher rates of smoking in most nations according to the <a href="https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/343287" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">World Health Organization</a>. Smoking is a known factor for high blood pressure, making it a key contributor to heart problems. Females tend to lead in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2161831322010249" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">obesity</a> numbers in many regions, which can contribute to diabetes.



These diseases are not just about risk factors. The study shows that males often end up with higher mortality rates once they develop these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rats-are-spreading-a-deadly-disease-across-cities/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">conditions</a>. 



Many men <a href="https://menandhiv.org/publication/the-mens-health-gap-men-must-be-included-in-the-global-health-equity-agenda/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fail to visit clinics</a> or hospitals as regularly as women, which could mean they don’t get diagnosed or treated when they need it.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-disease-risks-and-care-gaps">Disease risks and care gaps </h2>



<a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4314-hypertension-high-blood-pressure" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hypertension</a>, commonly called high blood pressure, is often undetected. Men skip checkups more frequently, so signs that might be obvious in a routine exam can slip under the radar. If left unaddressed, this condition can lead to complications like stroke and heart failure.



Diabetes also showed worrying trends. In around half of surveyed countries, men were more likely to die from this disease than women. In a few areas, women had a greater <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/heart-disease-remains-the-leading-cause-of-death-worldwide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">disease</a> burden, but men were still less likely to receive consistent care in those spots.



HIV and aids <a href="https://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/media_asset/2020_global-aids-report_en.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data</a> revealed that in most places where statistics were available, men’s prevalence and death rates outpaced those of women. The research suggested that men often lagged behind in testing, treatment, and adherence to medication schedules.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-care-disparities-by-sex">Care disparities by sex</h2>



“Without sex-disaggregated cascade data, we’re flying blind - unable to detect who is falling through the cracks in prevention, diagnosis, and care,” said Angela Chang, senior author of the study.



The team emphasized that many health policies and programs do not consider these persistent differences in how men and women seek health support.



The researchers pointed out that risk factors aren’t only rooted in biology. Gender norms and expectations can increase or lower the likelihood that a person will smoke, receive checkups, or follow a treatment plan.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-men-avoid-health-care">Why men avoid health care </h2>



Many men report that they avoid medical care unless absolutely necessary. In <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263198588_Men_and_primary_care_Improving_access_and_outcomes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">surveys</a> across different countries, common reasons include fear of diagnosis, lack of time, or the belief that symptoms will go away on their own.



Some researchers suggest that social norms around masculinity encourage toughness and discourage vulnerability. This can stop men from seeking care early, which delays diagnosis and worsens outcomes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-men-s-health-care-disparities">Men’s health care disparities</h2>



“We have long advocated the benefits of publishing sex disaggregated data. Such data can reveal where the health journeys of men and women diverge, be it in relation to the risk factors they are exposed to, their health care seeking behaviors or their experiences in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fungal-diseases-that-infect-humans-are-becoming-more-common-in-warming-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">health</a> care systems,” said Professors Kent Buse at Global 50/50. 



The experts emphasize that social constructs shape health as much as biology, suggesting that efforts to tackle these disparities should address cultural and systemic factors. The findings highlight the need for balanced health policies. 



Certain measures might need to target men more aggressively, aiming to increase early screening, boost clinic attendance, and raise awareness around symptoms that men are less likely to act on promptly.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gaps-in-men-s-health-care">Gaps in men's health care</h2>



Policymakers and health professionals may look at these gaps and explore fresh approaches to reach men. From workplace screening programs to flexible clinic hours, there are strategies that address the common reasons men often give for not seeking help.



Experts agree that looking at sex-disaggregated data is the first step toward making sure no one gets left behind. The focus is on gathering stronger, more detailed information. That way, actions can be tailored and effective, ensuring better health for all.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-problem-with-missing-data">The problem with missing data</h2>



A major issue researchers faced was the lack of complete data for many countries. While the team found data on risk and death rates for over 200 countries, full care cascade data, especially broken down by sex, was often missing, particularly for diabetes and hiv and aids.



Without this information, it’s hard to see where and why people are dropping off the care pathway. This makes it more difficult to design effective solutions or understand how patterns differ across age, income, and region.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1004592" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLOS Medicine</a>.



-----



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



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



-----

Men die more from preventable health issues but seek less care

In many places, men face a higher risk of disease but receive less timely care. These observations come from a broad international effort examining hypertension, diabetes, and HIV and aids. Angela Chang from the University of Southern Denmark led a team that gathered worldwide information on who falls ill and who actually receives help. The analysis pointed to important differences by sex, affecting disease rates and overall health outcomes. Sex differences affect health outcomes Males have higher rates of smoking in most nations according to the World...

Ocean life can suffer from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deadly-banana-disease-has-arrived-in-southeast-asia/">epidemics</a> too. From 2013 to 2016, the "wasting syndrome epidemic" is believed to have been largest marine wildlife disease event in history. This event largely affected sea stars, specifically 20 species ranging from Baja California to the Gulf of Alaska. 



A species that is generally known as the purple sea star or purple ochre, Pisaster ochraceus, is of particular interest to scientists. Purple ochre is considered a keystone species, which means that other species in an ecosystem heavily depend on the group for survival. During the epidemic, populations of the purple sea star were hit extremely hard, with estimated declines of 50 to 94 percent.



To understand the long term effects of such an impactful epidemic, researchers at <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/">Oregon State University</a> assessed genomic differences between healthy and infected ochre. The experts found that healthy-looking ochre sea stars have minimal genetic difference from those with symptoms of sea star wasting syndrome. 



"Our reasoning was that a sick sea star and healthy sea star nearby were likely exposed to similar conditions, so maybe the ones that looked healthy had some type of genetic predisposition toward resistance or tolerance to sea star wasting syndrome," said Andrea Burton, who led the study. "It was a unique chance to compare apparently normal and wasting individuals from the same time and place during the sea star wasting syndrome epidemic."



The researchers looked at visual symptoms of wasting syndrome, such as twisting or missing arms, loss of grip on rocks, and even "melting." For the purposes of the study, animals with none of those symptoms were considered healthy.



Despite these observable symptoms, the experts found that genomic variation between normal-looking and wasting sea stars was very low. This is a concerning outcome when trying to understand what makes some sea stars immune, and others susceptible to disease. 



Without these clear identifiable distinctions, the researchers said they have even more concerns regarding how this species of sea star will fare in future outbreaks.



Sadly, we can expect more frequent ocean epidemics. "A changing climate is causing the ocean to warm and those rising sea water temperatures are putting more and more stress on marine ecosystems," said Burton. "As a result of that stress, marine diseases have become more prevalent over the last few decades.”



On the bright side, the experts successfully identified a list of genomic regions with signs of disease resistance. This could be key in determining how a sea star will respond to a future wasting syndrome outbreak, and may present promising opportunities to enhance species resilience.



"Assessing the potential for natural population resilience is a huge piece of predicting the long-term prospects for affected species and all of the species and communities they influence," said Burton.&nbsp;



"Some marine species are suitable for selective breeding but many others are not, so examining genomic variation in natural populations can help answer the question of whether a species has the genetic makeup to withstand diseases on its own."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/1365294x">Molecular Ecology</a>.



---



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

Why are some sea stars more susceptible to disease?

Ocean life can suffer from epidemics too. From 2013 to...

Light is our body’s primary time cue, strongly influencing our circadian rhythms, and thus regulating our sleeping patterns and other metabolic reactions. When light hits the retina, a signal is transmitted to a part of the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which coordinates bodily rhythms, including the nightly production of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melatonin-works-help-sleep/">melatonin</a>, a hormone that helps us sleep. If exposure to light happens in the evening as melatonin is naturally increasing, it can slow or even halt it, interfering with our sleep patterns.



While previous studies have documented how exposure to bright lights before bedtime can disrupt adults’ sleep, new research led by the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado at Boulder</a> (CU Boulder) has found that, in the case of children, even exposures to very low intensities of light at night can sharply reduce the production of melatonin.



“Our previous work showed that fairly high intensity of bright light before bedtime dampens melatonin levels by about 90 percent in young children,” said study first author Lauren Hartstein, a postdoctoral fellow in the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/iphy/research/sleep-and-development-laboratory">Sleep and Development Laboratory</a> at CU Boulder. “With this study, we were very surprised to find high melatonin suppression across all intensities of light, even dim ones.”



Dr. Hartstein and her colleagues enlisted 36 children with ages between three to five years, for a nine-day protocol tracking their sleep and light exposure. While for the first seven days, parents kept the children on a stable sleep schedule to normalize their circadian rhythms and ensure that melatonin levels rise at approximately the same time each evening, on the last two days the children were exposed to dim lights in the hour before bedtime.



The scientists found that, compared to the previous nights with no light exposure, melatonin was suppressed by 70 to 99 percent after light exposure. Surprisingly, light intensity did not seem to influence how much the sleep hormone fell, and even 50 minutes after the light was extinguished, melatonin did not rebound in over half of the children.&nbsp;



“Together, our findings indicate that in preschool-aged children, exposure to light before bedtime, even at low intensities, results in robust and sustained melatonin suppression,” said Dr. Hartstein.



“Kids are not just little adults,” added senior author Monique LeBourgeois, an associate professor of Integrative Physiology at CU Boulder. “This heightened sensitivity to light may make them even more susceptible to dysregulation of sleep and the circadian system.”



Thus, in order to improve their children’s sleep quality, parents should control their activities before bedtime, particularly those involving the use of electronic gadgets such as tablets or smartphones.



The study is published in the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jpi.12780">Journal of Pineal Research</a>.&nbsp;



---



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

Children’s sleep can be disrupted by even dim light at bedtime

Light is our body’s primary time cue, strongly influencing our...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.agu.org/">American Geophysical Union</a> has investigated the implications of increased use of household air conditioning due to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/caribou-help-rare-plants-survive-climate-change/">climate change</a>. According to the researchers, if states do not expand capacity or improve efficiency of the air conditioning industry, this climate-driven increase is likely to cause prolonged blackouts during peak summer heat.



Human-induced greenhouse gas emissions will likely increase global average temperatures by over 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels in less than a decade. Without urgent mitigation strategies, temperatures will most probably exceed the 2.0 degrees Celsius threshold by the end of the century.&nbsp;&nbsp;



While previous research has examined the estimated impacts of global warming on annual electricity consumption or daily peak load for specific states or cities, this is the first study to analyze residential air conditioning demand on a household basis at a large scale. By incorporating observed and predicted air temperatures, humidity, and discomfort indices with air conditioning use by statistically representative households across the United States, the scientists have found that, without enough capacity to meet demand, energy utilities may have to stage rolling blackouts during heat waves to avoid grid failure.



According to the researchers, technological improvements of home air conditioning appliances will be necessary to supply the additional cooling needed to achieve comfort levels in an increasingly warm world and to avoid prolonged blackouts.&nbsp;



“It's a pretty clear warning to all of us that we can't keep doing what we are doing or our energy system will break down in the next few decades, simply because of the summertime air conditioning,” said Susanne Benz, a geographer and climate scientist at <a href="https://www.dal.ca/">Dalhousie University</a> in Nova Scotia, Canada.



In order to avoid frequent summer blackouts, an increased efficiency of one to eight percent of residential air conditioning appliances is needed, depending on existing state standards and the expected demand increase. For instance, the already hot southern and southwestern parts of the United States will most likely experience the largest increases in electricity demand.&nbsp;



Thus, besides taking into consideration global climate changes, an efficient strategy to avoid electricity blackouts caused by increased use of air conditioning should also pay attention to local conditions, and take urgent measures to properly balance peoples’ comfort, electrical infrastructures, and climate patterns.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2021EF002434">Earth’s Future</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



---



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

Global warming could cause more electrical blackouts

A new study led by the American Geophysical Union has...

A new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abj0329">Science Advances</a> has found that even extremely small pollution particles resulting from human activities such as the burning of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossil-fuels-must-be-reduced-immediately-and-drastically/">fossil fuels</a> can significantly change cloud formation and rainfall patterns in the Amazon.&nbsp;



According to an international team of scientists, oxidation leads small aerosols expelled by factories or automobiles to grow rapidly in the atmosphere, reaching up to 400 times their original size, and thus affecting raindrop formation.



“Understanding cloud and rain formation mechanisms in the Amazon is a major challenge because of the complexity of the non-linear physical and chemical processes that occur in the atmosphere,” said study co-author Paulo Artaxo, a professor of Environmental Physics at the <a href="https://www5.usp.br/english/institutional/">University of São Paulo</a> (USP) in Brazil.



By examining data collected by instruments on board of a special aircraft surveying the city of Manaus, in Brazil’s Amazon region, Professor Artaxo and his colleagues have found that aerosols of less than 10 nanometers emitted by factories, power plants, or vehicle exhaust form a pollution plume over Manaus that is blown by winds in a southwesterly direction.



“Little was known about the role played by these nanoparticles in the rainfall regime,” said study co-author Luiz Augusto Machado, an expert in Meteorology at USP.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“It so happens that the Manaus area is unique in the world in the sense that it’s an open-air laboratory, a mega-city surrounded by forest at a great distance from other cities where we can investigate how a metropolitan area changes an environment similar to that of the pre-industrial era.”



“It’s very hard to estimate the effect of particulate matter on rainfall because of the large number of atmospheric variables that influence this interaction."



“We therefore compared the pollution line with nearby areas that lie outside the plume. We found that the particles rapidly grow in size. By the time they’re 10 km out of Manaus, they’re larger, and at 30 km they can reach a large enough size to become condensation nuclei, affecting the formation of raindrops.”



The researchers discovered that, as the pollution nanoparticles grow and become condensation nuclei, they can influence rainfall according to what types of clouds they interact with. If the particles meet small, warm clouds, scant rainfall will result. However, if they pass through dense, vertical clouds such as cumulonimbi, the aerosols could increase precipitation, and occasionally even fuel fierce storms.&nbsp;



“In other words, even these small particles of pollution influence the rainfall regime,” concluded Professor Machado.&nbsp;



---



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

Smallest pollution particles affect rainfall in the Amazon

A new study published in the journal Science Advances has...

According to data collected between April 2002 and August 2021 by the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (<a href="https://sealevel.nasa.gov/missions/grace">GRACE</a>) satellites, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenland-has-a-delayed-response-to-climate-change/">Greenland</a> Ice Sheet has lost 4,700 gigatons of ice over the last two decades - a quantity which would be large enough to submerge the entire United States under 1.5 feet of water. This massive ice loss has contributed to a global sea level rise of 0.47 inches (1.2 centimeters).



“Data shows that most of the loss of ice occurs along the edge of the ice sheet, where independent observations also indicate that the ice is thinning, that the glacier fronts are retreating in fjords and on land, and that there is a greater degree of melting from the surface of the ice,” wrote the authors of the most recent <a href="http://polarportal.dk/en/greenland/mass-and-height-change/#c8450">report</a> regarding the status of the Greenland Ice Sheet.



Ice loss appears to be particularly severe along the West Greenland coast, where the increasing warming of subsurface waters is accelerating <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-highest-peak-in-the-world-is-rapidly-melting/">glacier</a> melt. 



“High on the central region of the ice sheet, however, the GRACE satellites show that there is a small increase in the mass of the ice. Other measurements suggest that this is due to a small increase in precipitation/snowfall,” said the researchers.



Overall, the data show that during the period between 2002 and 2011, the Greenland Ice Sheet has lost an average of 234 km3&nbsp;of water per year. If the entire ice sheet would vanish, it would release enough water to increase global sea levels by 24 feet, or 7.4 meters.



According to an earlier study published in 2019 in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1855-2">Nature</a>, at the current rate of global warming, Greenland’s ice loss will likely cause the sea levels to rise between three to five inches (7-13 centimeters) by the end of the 21st century. This rise will negatively impact hundreds of millions of people all over the globe.



“As a rule of thumb, for every centimeter rise in global sea level, another six million people are exposed to coastal flooding around the planet,” said the 2019 study lead author Andrew Shepherd, a climate scientist at the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/">University of Leeds</a>. 



“On current trends, Greenland ice melting will cause 100 million people to be flooded each year by the end of the century, so 400 million in total,” he warned. Urgent measures are needed to mitigate climate change and protect human societies and ecosystems.&nbsp;



---



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

Greenland has lost 4,700 gigatons of ice since 2002

According to data collected between April 2002 and August 2021...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/financial-toll-caused-by-flooding-will-soar-by-mid-century/">Floods</a> and droughts are the main environmental disasters that are driving crop failures worldwide, and they have become increasingly frequent due to climate change. A new study led by <a href="https://en.nagoya-u.ac.jp/">Nagoya University</a> has found that wetland plants have a high tolerance against flooding due to their capacity to form “lysigenous aerenchyma” – air channels that transfer gases to the roots. These channels appear to help plants withstand droughts and nutrient deficiency too.&nbsp;



Understanding how lysigenous aerenchyma form could pave the way towards the development of crops that are more resilient to extreme weather events. According to the researchers, lysigenous aerenchyma could be imagined as similar to snorkels used to breath under water.&nbsp;



During flooding, plants roots are cut off from oxygen and other gases crucial for their survival. In response to this, the plants create air pathways connecting the submerged parts of the plant to the regions above water, which, similar to a snorkel, help the plants “breathe” by transporting vital gases to the submerged roots. In addition, by reducing the energy requirements for the breathing process, these channels can also help plants conserve energy during extreme conditions related to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-have-a-memory-of-drought/">droughts</a> or nutrient deficits.



The scientists discovered that a phytohormone called “auxin” is needed for the formation of aerenchyma during normal root growth, and identified two factors causing the formation of these channels in response to flooding. When the roots are submerged underwater in aerobic conditions, restrictions to gas exchanges cause ethylene to accumulate in the roots, which leads to the production of respiratory burst oxidase homolog (RBOH), an enzyme responsible for reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. In its turn, released ROS triggers cell death in the plant tissues, forming cavities for the passage of gases.



Although aerenchyma are mostly associated to plants that have adapted to soils rich in water, they can also develop in plants exposed to droughts or suffering from nutrient deficiencies. Low concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorous (nutrients that are crucial for plant growth) can increase ethylene sensitivity, stimulating the formation of aerenchyma.&nbsp;



Understanding the formation of these vital pathways could open up the possibility of improving crop resilience and paving the way for increased food security in the wake of climate change. &nbsp;



“If we can genetically control the timing and amount of lysigenous aerenchyma formation in roots of all agronomically important crops, such as maize, wheat and soybean, the global crop production loss could be dramatically reduced,” explained study co-author Dr. Mikio Nakazono, an expert in Plant Abiotic Stress Tolerance at Nagoya University.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2021.10.012">Trends in Plant Science</a>.



---



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

Plants that “breathe” underwater could improve crop resilience

Floods and droughts are the main environmental disasters that are...

Chromosomes are the physical carriers of genetic information in the form of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/corn-plants-use-jumping-genes-to-adapt-to-their-environment/">genes</a>, which are found lined up along each chromosome. Although chromosomes are crucial in the functioning of complex life, the way in which they initially formed in the earliest cells and the details of their changes over evolutionary time have not been studied.



More than 20 years after the start of the Human Genome Project, however, scientists now have access to technologies that can reveal the complete genetic sequence of entire chromosomes and this enables them to conduct analyses of how chromosomes have changed.



A recent study led by&nbsp;<a href="http://mcb.berkeley.edu/faculty/all/rokhsard">Daniel Rokhsar</a>, a professor of biological sciences at the <a href="https://www.berkeley.edu/">University of California, Berkeley</a>, has tracked changes in chromosomes in order to make sense of the ways in which genes are arranged on the chromosomes of different groups of animals.&nbsp;



Although it has long been known that certain genes stick together – they always occur next to each other on a chromosome – these clumps of genes appear on different chromosomes and in various chromosomal locations in different types of animals. The question is: how did they get there?



In order to follow the evolution of chromosomes in early groups of animals, Rokhsar and colleagues from the University of Vienna and UC Berkeley identified 29 groups of linked genes that they termed ancestral linkage groups, or elements, that were present in most animal lineages. These elements have been remarkably conserved in all animal groups over the past 600 million years of evolutionary history, indicating a strong selective pressure to keep them from changing.&nbsp;



Using the groups of linked genes as markers, the researchers worked out how the chromosomes changed in early animals, including bilaterians (animals with bilateral symmetry), cnidarians (such as jellyfish and hydras), and sponges. They found that, while the chromosomal elements remained constant in terms of which genes they contained, they got shuffled around between chromosomes. Each element consisted of the same linked genes, but their location on the chromosomes could change. This means that geneticists can describe the chromosomes of a species by designating which elements are in which chromosomes.



"So now, for example, we can break down each human chromosome into its elements using algebraic notation. Then we deduce what happened to these primordial elements in different species and genera such as corals, mollusks, birds and many others, and what new chromosomes these elements had assembled into," explains molecular biologist Oleg Simakov from the University of Vienna.



Elements move to a new chromosome by means of genetic mistakes during cell division, such as chromosome breakages, translocations, insertions and fusions. The researchers also found that, once an element had changed location to a different chromosome, this new arrangement was passed on to all subsequent descendants in that animal lineage. Every descendent species would inherit the new arrangement. This implies that the arrangement of chromosomal elements can be used as a map of the evolutionary relationships between species.&nbsp;



"Such events are irreversible in evolution and every group of animals - from corals to humans - has such unique combinations that will forever distinguish the descendants of these groups and set these groups apart from others," Simakov said.&nbsp;



Another consequence of the findings of this study is that researchers can now predict the arrangement of elements on the chromosomes of species for which genome sequencing has yet to be conducted.&nbsp;



“One of my favorite aspects of our study is that we make predictions about what to expect in genomes that are yet to be sequenced,” Rokhsar wrote in an email to&nbsp;Quanta. For example, his team discovered that diverse invertebrates classified as spiralians all share four specific element patterns that imply the fusion of chromosomes has occurred in their common ancestor. “It follows that ALL spiralians should show these [same] patterns,” Rokhsar wrote.&nbsp;



He added, “You don’t get to make those kinds of grand pronouncements about evolutionary history very often.”



The findings of the study, published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/journal/sciadv">Science Advances</a>, also show that certain single-celled animals contain some of the 29 highly conserved elements in their genomes. These organisms are the closest relatives of multicellular animals and this discovery sheds light on how chromosomes were formed in the very earliest ancestors of current animal lineages. “These ancient linkage units provide a framework for understanding gene and genome evolution in animals,” the scientists noted in their paper.



The reasons why ancestral linked genes have been so highly conserved over time, and the evolutionary significance of moving elements to new chromosomal positions have yet to be investigated.&nbsp;&nbsp;



---



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

Animal chromosomes have conserved specific elements for 600 million years

Chromosomes are the physical carriers of genetic information in the...

International tourism has been hailed as economically important. Some experts even see ecotourism as an important part of environmental preservation. Unfortunately, there are environmental downsides to international travel as well, beyond the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tree-rings-reveal-the-carbon-storage-capacity-of-a-forest/">carbon</a> footprint.&nbsp;



A recent study from New Zealand looked at the potential for international travelers to introduce non-native and sometimes invasive species from abroad. This follows up on a 2011 study which showed that for every gram of soil carried on shoe soles, 2.5 plant seeds, 41 roundworms, 0.004 insects and a host of microorganisms were also carried along. These organisms were alive and potential threats to the local ecology.&nbsp;



The experts found that international travelers can introduce new species both abroad and to their home country, effectively doubling their impact.&nbsp;



The new research picks up where this study left off, investigating the role of international travel in the spread of exotic species.&nbsp;



The researchers looked at the period from 2011 to 2017 and examined insects, spiders, mites, snails, plants and roundworms. They compared the interceptions of non-natives species to accommodation data for both international and domestic tourists.&nbsp;



The team found that there was a significant correlation between the number of nights spent in hotels and the number of species intercepted. Interestingly, there was no noticeable difference between international and domestic travelers. This shows that even domestic tourism can spread invasive species around.&nbsp;



"The core take-home message is that anthropogenic movements associated with tourism correlate with detection of exotic organisms in New Zealand," explained the study authors. "The results also reinforce the need for biosecurity authorities to continue to allocate resources to managing the tourism pathway."



The scientists suggest that some resources should continue to be used to intercept invasive species carried in by returning tourists. They also point out that there are other vectors such as sea freight to worry about, and suggest that the different vectors should be compared to allocate resources properly.



According to the researchers, understanding the links between international travelers and the potential biosecurity risks that these visitors may present is a new and important area of research.



---



By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

International travelers can introduce invasive species

International tourism has been hailed as economically important. Some experts...

Mushrooms in the Amanita genus such as A. muscaria and A. pantherina have long been consumed by humans for their interesting psychedelic effects. Hallucinogenic symptoms from these mushrooms’ poison can distort the size of objects, as described in Lewis Carol’s Alice in Wonderland as well as cause other hallucinations, deliria, seizures and rarely death. There’s also a history of people consuming them as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/food-can-work-as-well-as-medication-to-lower-cholesterol/">food</a> but after a careful process of detoxifying them first.&nbsp;&nbsp;



A common hypothesis is that poisons contained in the mushrooms have evolved to dissuade consumption by animals. An observation of Japanese squirrels (Sciurus lis) calls into question this idea, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.kobe-u.ac.jp/en/index.html">Kobe University</a>.



Professor SUETSUGU Kenji and independent photographer GOMI Koichi watched an individual squirrel feeding on Amanita mushrooms several times over a few days in Nagano prefecture, Japan. The team concluded that the squirrel almost certainly evolved a way to safely eat the mushrooms.&nbsp;



From these observations, a new theory emerged - it’s not always detrimental to a mushroom to be eaten. Much like eating the fruits of plants, sometimes an animal can actually benefit a mushroom.&nbsp;



If the mushroom’s spores can survive the digestive tract, it is feasible that a squirrel could be dispersing the mushroom’s spores. In this regard, perhaps the “poison” could be acting to deter some animals, for instance those whose digestive tract would destroy the spores. Other animals that may have co-evolved with the mushroom would be rewarded for their dispersal with a tasty dinner.



Now professor Suetsugo wishes to carry the research further and investigate whether the squirrels are truly dispersing the Amanita spores or not. To do this, the scientists will check squirrel excrement for living spores.&nbsp;



Understanding the relationship between these mushrooms and squirrels could unlock more information on forest ecology in general. Amanita mushrooms form important mutualistic relationships with different trees, helping to maintain forest ecosystems.&nbsp;



"Perhaps Amanita mushrooms facilitate mutualisms with toxin-resistant squirrels, which can disperse viable spores, while deterring toxin-susceptible enemies, which could negatively impact spore survival. If so, potential dispersal of fungal spores by squirrels is analogous to a seed dispersal mutualism, in which a plant offers a reward to an animal as a seed disperser," wrote the study authors.



"How do squirrels safely eat Amanita mushrooms? What role do squirrels play in Amanita spore dispersal? How would squirrel-assisted spore dispersal contribute to the establishment of ectomycorrhizal relationships within these ecosystems? These questions warrant further investigation."



The research is published the journal <a href="https://www.esa.org/frontiers-in-ecology-and-the-environment/">Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment</a>.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;



Image Credit: Koichi Gomi



---By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Japanese squirrels can eat “poisonous” mushrooms

Mushrooms in the Amanita genus such as A. muscaria and...

New research predicts that 70 percent of the world’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-heat-is-the-new-normal-for-the-ocean/">oceans</a> could be choking from a lack of oxygen caused by climate change. The new model that the research is based on found that mid-level oceans, which support many global fisheries, are already losing oxygen at an unusual rate. The study also shows that a critical threshold of oxygen loss was passed in 2021.&nbsp;



The researchers found that midwater ocean areas, with depths between 200 to 1,000 meters, are especially vulnerable to deoxygenation. This is because these depths are not replenished by oxygen from the atmosphere or photosynthesis, and decomposition of algae happens here.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“This zone is actually very important to us because a lot of commercial fish live in this zone,” said study lead author Yuntao Zhou, an oceanographer at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. “Deoxygenation affects other marine resources as well, but fisheries (are) maybe most related to our daily life.”



The research just further highlights the vulnerability of our world’s oceans and the continuing threat of climate change. Not only are the oceans important as a source of fish consumed as food, but they also play a role in Earth’s atmosphere and water supply as well.&nbsp;



“Humanity is currently changing the metabolic state of the largest ecosystem on the planet, with really unknown consequences for marine ecosystems. That may manifest in significant impacts on the ocean’s ability to sustain important fisheries," said Matthew Long, an oceanographer at NCAR who was not involved in the study.&nbsp;



The researchers also discovered that waters closer to the poles are more vulnerable to deoxygenation but are uncertain as to why.&nbsp;



“The oxygen minimum zones actually are spreading into high latitude areas, both to the north and the south. That’s something we need to pay more attention to," said Zhou.&nbsp;"Even if global warming were to reverse, allowing concentrations of dissolved oxygen to increase, whether dissolved oxygen would return to pre-industrial levels remains unknown.”



The study is published by the <a href="https://www.agu.org/">American Geophysical Union</a> in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.



---By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The ocean is being suffocated by a lack of oxygen

New research predicts that 70 percent of the world’s oceans...

In a new study from <a href="https://www.rmit.edu.au/">RMIT University</a>, researchers used infrared signals that bounce off plastic particles to identify debris along the shore. The goal is to find ways to remotely track down waste on the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rainfall-surge-events-are-a-growing-threat-on-the-east-coast/">coast</a> to clean it up. The new method would allow plastics to be identified in a satellite image in which the plastic is smaller than a single pixel.&nbsp;



"Marine plastic debris (MPD) is a globally relevant environmental challenge, with an estimated 8 million tons of synthetic debris entering the marine environment each year," wrote the study authors.



"Plastic has been found in all parts of the marine environment, including the surface layers of the ocean, within the water column, in coastal waters, on the benthic layer and on beaches."&nbsp;



"While research on detecting MPD using remote sensing is increasing, most of it focuses on detecting floating debris in open waters, rather than detecting MPD on beaches."



Study lead author of the study and PhD candidate Jenna Guffogg explained that looking for trash on beaches makes more sense than searching in the ocean, simply because it’s easier to clean up.&nbsp;



“Stopping plastic from entering the ocean is a global challenge. But if we can find and remove them quickly, it's the next best thing," said Guffogg.



"At the moment, plastic debris are tracked by passing vessels notifying authorities. Using satellites will allow more frequent and reliable observations."



"Our work could let organizations who do remote coastal and marine waste clean-up management know where to focus their efforts.”



Guffogg and her colleagues completed field trials on isolated beaches in Australia’s Cocos (Keeling) Island using sensing equipment to see how infrared reflected off different types of plastic debris washed up on shore.&nbsp;



The team compared the results with the same tests on new, undamaged plastics and found little difference. This means that many different types of plastic - regardless of color, shape, texture and weathering - can be detected. The next step is to improve the ability of the imaging system even more.&nbsp;



“In the next few years, we're going to launch satellites with even better remote sensing capabilities," said Professor Simon Jones. "We're developing ways to use these new satellites in the fight against marine waste."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/journal/remotesensing">Remote Sensing</a>.



---



By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Remote sensing can be used to find plastic debris on the beach

In a new study from RMIT University, researchers used infrared...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.washington.edu/">University of Washington</a> (UW) has found that, after using olfactory cues to detect potential <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-can-recognize-the-plants-that-host-toxic-insects/">hosts</a> to bite, mosquitoes tend to fly towards specific colors, including red, orange, black, and cyan, while ignoring other colors such as green, purple, blue, or white. These findings help explain how mosquitoes find hosts, since human skin, regardless of its particular pigmentation, always emits a strong, red-orange “signal” to their eyes.



“Mosquitoes appear to use odors to help them distinguish what is nearby, like a host to bite,” said study senior author&nbsp;Jeffrey Riffell, a professor of Biology at the UW. “When they smell specific compounds, like CO2 from our breath, that scent stimulates the eyes to scan for specific colors and other visual patterns, which are associated with a potential host, and head to them.”



Professor Riffell and his colleagues tracked the behavior of female yellow fever mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti) when presented with various olfactory and visual cues. As in the case of all mosquito species, only A. aegypti females drink blood, and can transmit various diseases such as dengue and yellow fever, or those caused by the Chikungunya or Zika viruses. Finding what attracts and repels these mosquitoes is thus highly important for protecting ourselves from these diseases.



The researchers discovered that smelling carbon dioxide (CO2) – the gas that we and other animals exhale with each breath – boosts female mosquitoes’ activity levels, making them scan the environment in search for hosts. Without prior exposure to CO2, mosquitoes largely ignored a colored dot the scientists presented to them in the test chamber. After being exposed to this gas, mosquitoes continued to ignore the dot if it was green, blue, or purple, but immediately flew towards it if it was red, orange, black, or cyan.



These findings suggest that mosquitoes’ olfaction and vision are strongly related and that their eyes prefer certain wavelengths in the visual spectrum. Understanding these insects’ visual preferences can help us avoiding their disease-transmitting bites.



“One of the most common questions I'm asked is ‘What can I do to stop mosquitoes from biting me?’” said Professor Riffell. “I used to say there are three major cues that attract mosquitoes: your breath, your sweat, and the temperature of your skin. In this study, we found a fourth cue: the color red, which can not only be found on your clothes, but is also found in everyone’s skin. The shade of your skin doesn’t matter, we are all giving off a strong red signature. Filtering out those attractive colors in our skin, or wearing clothes that avoid those colors, could be another way to prevent a mosquito biting.”



Further research is needed to determine how other visual and olfactory cues – such as skin secretions - help mosquitoes target potential hosts, and to clarify what are the colors and smells preferred by other species of mosquitoes.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-28195-x">Nature Communications</a>. &nbsp;



---



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

Mosquitoes are attracted to specific scents and colors

A new study led by the University of Washington (UW)...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



---



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



---



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



---



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



---



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



---



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



---



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



---



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



---



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



---



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

News coming your way