On May 13, 2025, scientists announced intriguing findings about the protective role of skin bacteria against sunlight. The research highlights how certain microorganisms on the skin might reduce the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation.



The scientists studied how some skin microbes adjust our response to UV exposure by breaking down a compound called <a href="https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-drug/def/cis-urocanic-acid" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cis-urocanic acid</a>. This discovery sheds new light on how the skin's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/teen-skin-bacteria-could-hold-the-secret-to-acne-prevention/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microscopic allies</a> could influence sun-related health issues.



The study was led by Dr. VijayKumar Patra from the International Center for Infection Research in Lyon, France, and the Research Unit for Photodermatology at the<a href="https://www.medunigraz.at/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Medical University of Graz</a> in Austria.



Dr. Patra and his colleagues uncovered how the skin’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-tool-analyzes-face-age-to-predict-cancer-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bacteria</a> might influence sun-induced effects through a specialized metabolic process.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-skin-bacteria-reduce-uv-damage">Skin bacteria reduce UV damage</h2>



The skin’s outer layer, known as the stratum corneum, is home to many microorganisms that coexist with our cells. Researchers have found that these organisms adapt to the skin’s available nutrients, creating products that can affect local immune responses.



One key factor is how the microbiome deals with sun-triggered molecules. By handling these molecules, microbes shape how skin cells react to environmental challenges. 



The experts observed that certain strains thrive when cis-urocanic acid is present, hinting at new ways to view sun protection.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-skin-microbes-and-immune-responses">Skin microbes and immune responses</h2>



Scientists refer to cis-urocanic acid as an <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6223114/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">immunosuppressive molecule</a> that can tamp down local defense mechanisms. This property is helpful in some cases, but it also raises concerns about skin damage if the immune system is weakened at the wrong moment.



Investigators found that <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK7919/">microbial metabolism</a> can reduce the impact of cis-urocanic acid on immune cells. They discovered a clear tie between bacterial growth patterns and skin’s ability to respond to sun exposure.



“This is the first time we have demonstrated a direct metabolic link between UV radiation, a host-derived molecule, and bacterial behavior that affects immune function,” said Dr. Marc Vocanson, from the French Institute of Health and Medical Research (<a href="https://www.inserm.fr/en/home/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">INSERM</a>). 



The research illustrates how basic skin processes and microbial communities interact in surprising ways.



The findings strengthen the idea that the microbiome helps manage signals that keep our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alice-ball-young-chemist-transformed-an-ancient-kava-plant-into-an-effective-therapy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">skin</a> healthy. They also suggest that interactions between bacteria and immune cells can shift with changes in the environment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-inside-sun-exposed-skin">What happens inside sun-exposed skin</h2>



When the skin is hit by UVB rays, a common type of ultraviolet radiation, a molecule called trans-urocanic acid in the outer skin layer changes form. It turns into cis-urocanic acid, which has strong effects on immune activity in the area.



This transformation isn’t just chemical - it has real consequences for how the skin reacts to threats. Cis-urocanic acid tends to suppress immune responses, which might help with inflammation but can also make the skin more <a href="https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/60355" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vulnerable</a> to infections or cancer-causing mutations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-ways-to-protect-skin">New ways to protect skin </h2>



Dr. Peter Wolf is an expert in the research unit for photodermatology at the Medical University of Graz.



“These findings open the door to microbiome-aware sun protection, where we not only protect the skin from UV radiation, but also consider how resident microbes can alter the immune landscape after exposure,” said Dr. Wolf.



This perspective could influence the design of sunscreens and after-sun care. Experts note that any new approach will need to account for the balance between cutting down damaging UV effects and preserving beneficial <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/protein-changes-discovered-protect-humans-mammals-from-aging/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">functions</a>. 



The research may ultimately reshape how physicians use UV-based therapies for conditions like psoriasis or dermatitis.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-using-bacteria-to-heal-skin">Using bacteria to heal skin</h2>



Changes in the microbiome might influence how sunburns develop or how quickly skin recovers after strong UV exposure. Some scientists are already investigating how lotions with helpful bacteria could support skin repair.



At this stage, there is still plenty to learn before these ideas translate into clinical treatments. 



The researchers stress that controlled studies are needed to confirm the best way to keep the skin microbiome stable while reducing UV risks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-skin-bacteria-and-uv-protection">Skin bacteria and UV protection</h2>



“This pivotal study shows that microbial communities are not passive victims of environmental stress but dynamic regulators of immune responses, capable of metabolizing UV-induced skin products such as cis-urocanic acid,” said Dr. Anna Di Nardo of <a href="https://ucsd.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UC San Diego</a>.



She noted that skin bacteria can shape how our bodies deal with UV-induced changes, highlighting the significance of microbial metabolism as a factor in skin health. 



Dr. Di Nardo also mentioned growing concerns about sun damage and the potential role of beneficial microbes in preventing long-term effects.



Scientists across dermatology and immunology agree that this link between microbes and UV response holds promise for better prevention strategies. It also raises questions about whether tailored skincare could tap into these microbial interactions in the future. 



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.jidonline.org/article/S0022-202X(25)00405-1/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Investigative Dermatology</a>.



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Our skin's bacteria could be a natural sunscreen

On May 13, 2025, scientists announced intriguing findings about the protective role of skin bacteria against sunlight. The research highlights how certain microorganisms on the skin might reduce the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The scientists studied how some skin microbes adjust our response to UV exposure by breaking down a compound called cis-urocanic acid. This discovery sheds new light on how the skin's microscopic allies could influence sun-related health issues. The study was led by Dr. VijayKumar Patra from the International Center for Infection Research...

When plants grow, their stems, roots and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/caterpillars-spotted-for-the-first-time-on-alpine-rose-leaves/">leaves</a> increase in size and abundance in a coordinated manner. The changes in one type of organ keep pace with the changes in the other types. Dividing cells need to communicate with one another in order to achieve this, and previous research has identified that plants package important messages into molecules of RNA, which are sent from cell to cell.&nbsp;



New research, published today in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/">Science</a>, adds to this understanding by identifying a special protein in the cells of plants that acts as an escort and helps the RNA molecules to travel to where they are needed.&nbsp;



By studying the mustard-like plant&nbsp;Arabidopsis thaliana, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) Professor&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cshl.edu/research/faculty-staff/david-jackson/">David Jackson</a>&nbsp;and his team found that without this escort protein, known as AtRRP44a, the plant cells cannot communicate or coordinate the growth of the plant.&nbsp;



While all animal and plant cells are surrounded by a membrane, plant cells alone have an additional wall around each cell. Chemical messages can cross this cell wall through tiny holes called plasmodesmata.&nbsp;



Munenori Kitagawa is a postdoc in the Jackson lab who led the study. He explained that plasmodesmata are nanochannels embedded in the cell wall. "They mediate [the transport of various signals] from cell to cell, including protein, RNA, hormones, ions, and nutrients.”



Kitagawa investigated exactly how plasmodesmata regulate the movement of chemical messages from one cell to the next. He and his colleagues discovered that the protein AtRRP44a is involved in the transport of RNA molecules through the nanochannels in the cell wall. Decreasing the amount of AtRRP44a available slowed down the movement of RNA messages between cells and, because they then lacked the right messages, the plants failed to develop properly.&nbsp;



A protein similar to this escort protein is present in other plants, yeasts, and animals. The researchers were able to swap out part of the&nbsp;Arabidopsis thaliana&nbsp;signaling system and replace it with a part from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cshl.edu/corn-2-0/">corn</a>;&nbsp;this restored normal development, showing that many kinds of plants share this signaling system.&nbsp;



“Plants are very sophisticated," said Jackson. "We think of them just sitting in their environment, not moving, but really they’re processing a lot of information. The different parts of the plant are talking to each other, sharing whether they have some pathogen attack or if they need some nutrients.”



“This paper represents an important step towards understanding how information is exchanged between cells to control development and other processes,” said John McDowell, a program officer in the&nbsp;<a href="https://nsf.gov/">U.S. National Science Foundation</a>’s Directorate for Biological Sciences. “By revealing a new component of cell-to-cell communication, this research opens the door for further investigation that could allow us to harness this process.”



---



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

Plant cells message each other using RNA and escort proteins

When plants grow, their stems, roots and leaves increase in...

According to a new study led by the <a href="https://www.ufl.edu/">University of Florida</a>, “<a href="https://www.innerengineering.com/">Inner Engineering</a>” practices such as meditation and yoga can significantly boost our immune systems, helping us fight viruses such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/did-the-omicron-variant-jump-to-humans-from-mice/">SARS-CoV-2</a> or diseases like cancer or multiple sclerosis. This is the first large-scale genomic study revealing robust activation of the immune system after a week of intense meditation, in the context of an advanced Inner Engineering retreat.



Meditation retreats have become increasingly popular over the past few years, with more people searching relief from their hectic daily lives. While the positive mental effects of meditation are already well-known, much less is understood about the molecular and genetic effects of such practices.



In order to clarify the impact of meditation on the body, researchers from the University of Florida studied the genetic profiles of 388 samples collected from 106 people who participated in the Inner Engineering retreat at the Isha Institute of Inner-Sciences from McMinville, Tennessee in April 2018. During this retreat, participants had to remain completely silent for eight days, meditate at least 10 hours per day, eat only vegan food, and have a highly regular sleeping schedule.



Scientists collected blood samples from participants both before and after the retreat. Their findings were striking: 220 genes directly related to the immune response had heightened activity after the retreat, including 68 genes associated with interferon signaling, a crucial part of the body’s anti-viral and anti-cancer responses.



“What we found was that multiple genes related to the immune system were activated - dramatically - when you do Inner Engineering practices,” said study lead author Vijayendran Chandran, an assistant professor of Pediatrics and Neuroscience at the University of Florida. “This is the first time anyone has shown that meditation can boost your interferon signaling. It demonstrates a way to voluntarily influence the immune system without pharmaceuticals.”&nbsp;&nbsp;



According to Professor Chandran, these findings may have potential implications for many immune-related conditions such as multiple sclerosis and COVID-19. For example, since it is already well-known that mild to severe COVID-19 usually causes massive imbalances in interferon signaling, meditation could help boost our body’s defenses against SARS-CoV-2 and other related viruses.



Further research is needed to investigate whether less intense meditation regimes, spread over longer periods of time, can also boost immunity and protection against multiple health problems.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/118/51/e2110455118">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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

Meditation can help boost immunity against viruses

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

Bald eagle populations have steadily increased in recent decades, after the use of DDT was banned in 1972. However, according to a new study led by <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a>, this rebound is currently weakened by the threat of lead <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/poisonous-frogs-warmer-temperatures/">poisoning</a> from gunshot ammunition.&nbsp;



Despite increasing numbers of bald eagles, lead poisoning from eating dead carcasses or parts contaminated by lead ammunition has reduced eagle population growth by 4 to 6 percent annually in the Northeast United States.



“Even though the population seems like it’s recovered, some perturbation could come along that could cause eagles to decline again,” said study senior author Krysten Schuler, an assistant professor in the <a href="https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments/public-ecosystem-health">Department of Public and Ecosystem Health</a> at Cornell University.



Besides being potentially threatened by habitat loss, climate change, or the West Nile virus and other viral or bacterial outbreaks, bald eagles are increasingly affected by current hunting practices. Many hunters “field dress” game they shot with lead ammunition, leaving contaminated organs where the animal was killed. Bald eagles are scavenging such carcasses, often consuming bullet fragments that later on cause lead poisoning.



Although bald eagle numbers nearly <a href="https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2021/03/bald-eagle-count-quadruples-thanks-part-ebird-data-boost">quadrupled</a> in the lower 48 states between 2009 and 2021, reaching about 316,000, the current findings on the dangers of lead poisoning raise alarms among scientists and conservationists.



“Hopefully, this report will add information that compels hunters, as conservationists, to think about their ammunition choices,” said Professor Schuler. In her view, a better alternative would be the use of copper-based ammunition.



Bald eagles are not the only species endangered by these hunting practices. Trail cameras have repeatedly shown that owls, crows, bears, foxes, coyotes, or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fisher-populations-will-struggle-to-survive-increasing-wildfires/">fishers </a>also scavenge the remains left by hunters.



“We haven’t collected data on these other species in the same way that we pay attention to eagles," said Professor Schuler. "We’re putting eagles out there as a poster species for this issue, but they’re not the only ones being impacted."



The study is published in the <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.22177">Journal of Wildlife Management</a>.&nbsp;



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

Bald eagles are threatened by poisoning from lead ammunition

Bald eagle populations have steadily increased in recent decades, after...

The world's largest fish breeding area has been discovered in the Antarctic Weddell Sea. Using an advanced underwater camera system, a team of scientists led by the <a href="https://www.awi.de/en/">Alfred Wegener Institute</a> found what is estimated to be 60 million icefish nests near the Filchner Ice Shelf.&nbsp;



The colony represents a fish biomass of more than 60,000 tons, or over 135 million pounds. According to the study authors, their findings provide support for the establishment of a Marine Protected Area in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean.&nbsp;



The researchers towed a camera system and photographed the massive breeding site. The photographs suggest that the icefish nests cover about 240 square kilometers, which is roughly the size of the island of Malta.&nbsp;



"The idea that such a huge breeding area of icefish in the Weddell Sea was previously undiscovered is totally fascinating," said study lead author Autun Purser, a deep-sea biologist at the AWI Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research.



Since the early 1980s, AWI scientists have been exploring the Weddell Sea with Polarstern, a German research icebreaker. Prior to this study, the team had only detected small clusters of nests.



The observations were made using the Ocean Floor Observation and Bathymetry System (OFOBS), a camera sledge built to survey the ocean floor in extreme conditions.&nbsp;



"After the spectacular discovery of the many fish nests, we thought about a strategy on board to find out how large the breeding area was - there was literally no end in sight. The nests are three quarters of a metre in diameter - so they are much larger than the structures and creatures, some of which are only centimeters in size, that we normally detect with the OFOBS system," said Purser.&nbsp;



"So, we were able to increase the height above ground to about three metres and the towing speed to a maximum of three knots, thus multiplying the area investigated. We covered an area of 45,600 square metres and counted an incredible 16,160 fish nests on the photo and video footage."



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Low-Res_20210216_FishnestsWeddellSea_PS124_AWI_OFOBS_Team_003.jpg.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1900975"/><figcaption>Image Credit: AWI OFOBS Team</figcaption></figure>



Based on the images, the round fish nests were about 15 centimeters deep and 75 centimeters in diameter, and were clearly distinguishable from the muddy seafloor.



The team found several types of nests, including active nests that contained an average of 1,700 eggs. About 75 percent of the time, these active nests were guarded by an adult icefish. Overall, about 100,000 nests were captured on film, and many of them were unused.&nbsp;



Further research is needed, but the experts speculate that the colony is an important source of food for predators such as Weddell seals.



“A great many Weddell seals spend much of their time in close proximity to the fish nests,” said Purser. “We know this from historical tracking data and fresh tracking data from our cruise. The nests are exactly where the warmer water is upwelling. These facts may be coincidence, and more work is needed, but the recorded seal data show seals do indeed dive to the depths of the fish nests, so may well be dining on these fish."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.



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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

Scientists have found the world's largest fish breeding site

The world's largest fish breeding area has been discovered in...

New research led by the <a href="https://www.columbia.edu/">University of Columbia</a> and the <a href="https://www.wild-tiger.org/">Wild Tiger</a> non-profit organization has found that the United States plays a much greater role in illegal tiger parts trade than previously thought. While most of the studies on tiger trafficking patterns focused on 13 Asian countries, the new findings show that the United States was responsible for almost half of the global illegal tiger trade between 2003 and 2012.



Tigers are an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/switching-to-solar-energy-affects-endangered-florida-panthers/">endangered</a> species, with less than 5,000 specimens estimated to remain in the wild. Illegal trade in tiger parts (mostly for medicinal purposes) plays a significant role in threatening tiger populations worldwide.



While China has been and remains the main destination and consumer of tiger parts, data from the <a href="https://www.fws.gov/">U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services</a> shows that the United States’ import seizures of tiger parts between 2003 and 2012 represented a staggering 46.8 percent of total global seizures.



“People in the U.S. have this false notion that the illegal trade in tiger parts is half a world away. In reality, we in the U.S. are involved in and driving a large portion of the illegal trade,” said study lead author Sarika Khanwilkar, a Ph.D. candidate at Columbia University and the founder of the non-profit&nbsp;organization Wild Tiger. “This research is a step to better understand the role of the U.S. in the global tiger trade, which will improve policy and enforcement and direct future research efforts.”



According to Khanwilkar and her colleagues, there were 292 seizures of tiger parts illegally entering the United States between 203 and 2012, the majority of them being imported from China (34.2 percent) and Vietnam (29.5 percent). However, since the use of digital platforms to trade illegal wildlife products has increased, and economic prosperity has expanded demand, the current study may underestimate the full scale of illegal tiger parts trafficking in the United States.



In order to better monitor the source and trafficking routes of tiger parts, the researchers propose enhancing detection efforts in main hotspots for illegal tiger imports such as San Francisco, Dallas, and Atlanta. They also recommend using forensic DNA analysis to determine the origin and source (wild or captive) of the tiger parts and thus help providing guidance on where to focus conservation and enforcement efforts.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/csp2.622">Conservation Science and Practice</a>.



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

The U.S. plays a major role in the illegal tiger trade

New research led by the University of Columbia and the...

Climate change seems like such an overwhelming crisis that it is hard to know what we, as ordinary individuals, can do to help the situation. Recycling our waste and using <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/meltwater-influences-carbon-storage-in-the-arctic/">water</a> sparingly are such small contributions that they seem totally ineffective. A new study, however, has shown that we can have a significant impact on our own environmental footprint by simply changing one food item in our daily diets.



Researchers from <a href="https://tulane.edu/">Tulane University</a> calculated how much of a difference people could make if they swapped one high-impact food item for similar, more sustainable and planet-friendly options.&nbsp;



The impact of each type of food was assessed using data that the researchers gathered on the greenhouse gas emissions and water usage involved in its production, and this information was linked to <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/index.htm">a large federal survey</a> that reported on what more than 16,000 Americans ate each day.&nbsp;



Using this information, the researchers examined how the changes in diet would impact two statistics – the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the diet, and the impact on the water scarcity footprint. This is a measure of the irrigated water used to produce the foods eaten, taking into account regional variations in water scarcity.



According to the results, beef is the dietary item with the highest environmental impact and around 20 percent of the people surveyed said they ate at least one serving of it each day. The study found that, if people replaced one serving of beef each day with a more environmentally-friendly option, such as turkey, the greenhouse gases emitted in the production of their diet overall, would fall by an average of 48 percent, while the water-usage impact would be reduced by 30 percent.



“People can make a significant difference in their carbon footprint with very simple changes – and the easiest one would be to substitute poultry for beef,” said study&nbsp;<a href="https://sph.tulane.edu/sbps/diego-rose">lead author Diego Rose</a>, a professor of Nutrition and Food Security at Tulane’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.



The researchers also examined how the change would affect the overall environmental impact of all food consumption in the U.S. in a day – including the 80 percent of diets that would not change at all. If only the 20 percent of Americans who ate beef in a day switched to something else for one meal, that would reduce the overall carbon footprint of all U.S. diets by 9.6 percent and reduce water-use impacts by 5.9 percent.



Although swapping beef had the greatest impact, they also measured the impact of changing other items. For example, replacing a serving of shrimp with cod reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 34 percent; replacing dairy milk with soymilk resulted in an 8 percent reduction.&nbsp;



The greatest reduction in the water scarcity footprint came from replacing asparagus with peas, resulting in a 48 percent decrease. Substituting peanuts in place of almonds decreased the water scarcity footprint by 30 percent.



Although this study focused on the impacts of simple dietary changes that could be made by individuals, it is clear that climate change is a massive and complex issue that requires coordinated responses on governmental and international levels. However, this should not detract from the importance of the small changes we can all make as individuals.



“The changes needed to address our climate problems are major. They are needed across all sectors and along all levels of human organization from international agencies to federal and state governments to communities and households,” said Professor Rose.&nbsp;



“Many individuals feel strongly about this and wish to change our climate problem through direct actions that they can control. This, in turn, can change social norms about both the seriousness of the problem and the potential solutions that can address it. Our study provides evidence that even simple steps can assist in these efforts,” he concludes.



The study is published in&nbsp;<a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn">The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition</a>.



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

Small dietary changes have big environmental benefits

Climate change seems like such an overwhelming crisis that it...

Methane emissions have been identified as high priority during recent climate talks in Glasgow. Methane is a more potent greenhouse gas than <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/meltwater-influences-carbon-storage-in-the-arctic/">carbon</a> dioxide. In fact, it is 80 times stronger than carbon dioxide over the first 20 years it’s in the atmosphere and roughly 25 times stronger for the first 100 years.&nbsp;



A recent study from the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFe-pfe0a9bDvWy74Jd7vFg">Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> has revealed a new way to remove methane from the atmosphere using clay. 



"Climate action scenarios that limit changes in global temperature to less than 1.5 °C require methane controls, yet there are no abatement technologies effective for the treatment of low-level methane," wrote the study authors.



"Here, we describe the use of a biomimetic copper zeolite capable of converting atmospheric- and low-level methane at relatively low temperatures."



Drilling for natural gas is one of the primary sources of methane, but agricultural activities such as dairy farming serve as the largest source of anthropogenic methane emissions. 



“A lot of the methane that comes into the atmosphere is from distributed and diffuse sources, so we started to think about how you could take that out of the atmosphere,” explained Professor Desiree Plata.



The new method of methane capture involves combining copper with zeolite, a type of clay used in cat litter. For the study, particles of the copper-enhanced zeolite material were placed in a reaction tube and were heated from the outside as streams of gas varying in concentration from two parts per million to two percent flowed through the tube. 



The new method has several advantages over older methods of methane capture. For example, the clay technique is cheaper, as other methods require catalysts of platinum or palladium. Other known strategies also require high temperatures of at least 600 degrees Celsius and cycling between oxygen rich streams and methane rich ones, creating high explosion risks.



“The 600 degrees where they run these reactors makes it almost dangerous to be around the methane," said doctoral student Rebecca Brenneis. "They’re solving the problem by just creating a situation where there’s going to be an explosion.”



Unsurprisingly, the older methods of methane capture have a very limited range of uses. The new technique seems to reach its peak performance at around 300 degrees Celsius, using less energy and being less dangerous. 



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/journal/aeacc4">ACS Environmental Au</a>.



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

Clay could help reduce methane emissions

Methane emissions have been identified as high priority during recent...

Thailand is often overlooked in terms of its natural beauty and biodiversity, even as its natural environments face the threats of development that loom everywhere in the world. Illustrating this point is the discovery of a new genus of tarantula that lives inside of bamboo stalks.



Dr. Narin Chomphuphuang, an arachnologist at Khon Kaen University, explained the context of the discovery. “Few people realize how much of Thailand's wildlife remains undocumented. Thai forests now cover only 31.64% of the country's total land area. We are primarily on a mission to research and save the biodiversity and wildlife within these forests from extinction, especially species-specific microhabitats.”



The tarantula was first found by JoCho Sippawat, a famous Thai wildlife YouTuber, who later teamed up with Dr. Chomphuphuang. The pair also collaborated with Chaowalit Songsangchote of Kasetsart University, who formally described the newly discovered tarantula.



The scientists named the spider Taksinus bambus, the generic name honors the Thai king Taksin the Great, who was once governor of Tak province - where the tarantula was found. Bambus is in reference to the arachnids' curious way of living in bamboo, something never before seen in a tarantula.&nbsp;



The spiders themselves do not create holes or cracks in bamboo stalks but instead rely on other animals such as bamboo worms, carpenter beetles or rodents to do this work. Once the spider moves into a bamboo stalk, the animal lines the new home with silk.&nbsp;



There are other arboreal tarantulas found in southeast Asia, but this is the first to be discovered in northern Thailand. It’s also unusual because it specializes in one particular type of plant.



&nbsp;“We examined all of the trees in the area where the species was discovered. This species is unique because it is associated with bamboo, and we have never observed this tarantula species in any other plant. Bamboo is important to this tarantula, not only in terms of lifestyle but also because it can only be found in high hill forests in the northern part of Thailand, at an elevation of about 1,000 m. It is not an exaggeration to say that they are now Thailand's rarest tarantulas,” said Dr. Chomphuphuang.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://zookeys.pensoft.net/">ZooKeys</a>.



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



Image Credit: JoCho Sippawat

New tarantula found in Thailand lives in bamboo stalks

Thailand is often overlooked in terms of its natural beauty...

Two,Craft,Beef,Burgers,On,Wooden,Table,On,Blue,Background.

Fast food diets that include processed junk food like burgers and chicken nuggets are known to contribute to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease worldwide. Now, a new study from the <a href="https://www.crick.ac.uk/">Francis Crick Institute</a> reveals that fast food consumption is also associated with a rise in autoimmune diseases.



According to an interview with <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/observer">The Observer</a>, the researchers discovered that the link between fast food and autoimmune disease is the result of the immune systems’ inability to differentiate between healthy cells and virus-like organisms in the body. They theorize that this problem is due to the lack of fiber found in fast food, which ultimately reduces the health of microorganisms in our gut.



"Human genetics haven’t altered over the past few decades," study co-author James Lee told The Observer. "Something must be changing in the outside world in a way that is increasing our predisposition to autoimmune disease. Fast food diets lack certain important ingredients, such as fiber, and evidence suggests this alteration affects a person's microbiome."



Autoimmune diseases occur when the tissue and organs of the body are attacked by its own immune system, often appearing in the form of bowel and Crohn’s disease, arthritis, type 1 diabetes, and multiple sclerosis.&nbsp;



About 40 years ago, the UK and other Western nations saw a rise in autoimmune cases, and this trend is now emerging in countries that never had the disease before, according to the study authors. It is assumed that this trend is the result of the increasing availability of junk food.



It has also been discovered that some people in the West are being affected by more than one autoimmune disease simultaneously. In the UK alone, there are four million people with at least one autoimmune disease, and international cases are rising by up to nine percent annually.



While the consumption of fast food shows some clear correlation with autoimmune disease, the researchers explained that there are other factors that are at play. “If you don't have a certain genetic susceptibility, you won't necessarily get an autoimmune disease, no matter how many Big Macs you eat," explained study co-author Carola Vinuesa.



To further investigate what can be done to prevent the further increase of autoimmune diseases, the team is sequencing and analyzing DNA differences between large groups of people to figure out the exact genetic makeup which presents susceptibility to the diseases. This is due to the assumption that it is too late to prevent fast food industries from expanding. Instead, education and treatment should be expanded.



Lee said in the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/jan/08/global-spread-of-autoimmune-disease-blamed-on-western-diet">interview</a> that new treatments were needed more urgently than ever due to the spread of the various disease around the world, as there are currently no cures available.&nbsp;



"At present, there are no cures for autoimmune diseases, which usually develop in young people – while they are trying to complete their education, get their first job and have families."



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

Fast food diets linked to rise in autoimmune diseases

Fast food diets that include processed junk food like burgers...

The first case of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/covid-19-can-prompt-the-creation-of-self-attacking-antibodies/">Covid-19</a> was reported in December 2019 and a pandemic was declared by the World Health Organization in January 2020. Since the beginning of the outbreak, face masks, sanitizers and gloves have been widely used as preventative measures to limit the spread of Covid-19. 



The efficiency of face masks in curbing the spread of Covid-19 has been a heavily disputed topic. However, a recent study by experts at the <a href="https://www.ucf.edu/">University of Central Florida</a> provides compelling evidence that masks are effective in slowing the spread of viruses and other pathogens.



The results of the study show that face masks minimize the distance airborne pathogens can travel by more than half. The research is significant because airborne viral infections like SARS-CoV-2 can be encapsulated and transmitted via liquid droplets and aerosols generated during human respiratory activities such as speaking and coughing.



Methods to shorten the distance that pathogens travel can aid in the management of pandemics like Covid-19, which has led to global infection, healthcare system overload, and economic devastation.



“The research provides clear evidence and guidelines that 3 feet of distancing with face coverings is better than 6 feet of distancing without face coverings,” said study co-author Kareem Ahmed, an associate professor in UCF’s <a href="https://mae.ucf.edu/">Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering</a>.



According to the study authors, the findings can be used to inform social distancing guidelines by helping to determine the minimum social distance for people wearing masks.&nbsp;



The researchers employed diagnostic instruments that are routinely used to study how fluids travel through the air. They measured the distance that droplets and aerosols traveled in all directions from people speaking and coughing.



The study examined three scenarios: individuals without a face-covering, with a cloth face covering, and with a three-layered disposable surgical mask. The participants read a phrase and simulated a cough for five minutes under each scenario.



Meanwhile, particle velocity was measured using planar particle imaging. Droplet size, velocity, and volume flow were measured using a phase doppler interferometer at sites within a spray plume. Airborne particle behavior was determined using an aerodynamic particle sizer.



As the airborne particles went forth from the participants' mouths, the devices recorded their properties, behaviors, and direction. The researchers discovered that wearing a cloth face mask reduced emissions in all directions to roughly two feet, compared to four feet when coughing or speaking without one.



When wearing a surgical mask, the distance coughing and speaking emissions traveled was reduced to less than half a foot.&nbsp;



The inspiration for the study came from the researchers' previous work on jet propulsion. “The principles are the same. Our cough and speech are exhausted propulsion plumes.”said Ahmed.



The study is published in <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jid">The Journal of Infectious Diseases</a>.



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By <a href="http://mailto:ashikha92@gmail.com">Ashikha Raoof</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Face masks reduce the distance a virus can travel by more than half

The first case of Covid-19 was reported in December 2019...

Clothes that are dried regularly in a household tumble dryer eventually lose their “fluffiness” and become threadbare. Ever wonder what happens to the fibers that come off these clothes? We know that clothes lose microfibers while being churned around in a washing machine, but little is known about the relative contribution of air from clothes dryers to the problem of microfiber pollution in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eating-less-meat-is-better-for-animal-welfare-and-environmental-health/">environment</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;



In a new study from City University of Hong Kong, experts report that air released from a household dryer could discharge up to 120 million microfibers annually, which is considerably more than the discharge in wastewater from a washing machine.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Microfibers are ultra-fine threads of fabric that have a diameter of less than 10 micrometers, about one-fifth of the diameter of a human hair. Microfibers can arise from synthetic fabrics such as polyesters, polyamides (nylon, Kevlar) and polypropylene, that are used to make clothing, upholstery and accessories.&nbsp;



These synthetic fibers are environmentally unfriendly because they are not biodegradable, are manufactured from petrochemicals which are non-renewable, and are highly flammable. The authors state in the study that the global use of synthetic fibers has increased, and that the use of polyester fibers in particular has reached 76.66 million tons per year and now accounts for 55% of the global clothing market.



Synthetic microfibers also form part of the category of pollutants known as microplastics. When synthetic fabrics are laundered, the waste water is released into aquatic environments carrying a significant load of microfibers. Microfibers pose a threat to aquatic organisms and their environment. Additionally, these persistent microplastics have been found in air, in terrestrial environments and in the feces of humans and some domestic animals. The fibers can be irritants when ingested or inhaled, and can also absorb and transport pollutants over long distances.&nbsp;



In the study by Danyang Tao, Kai Zhang and Kenneth Leung, microfibers generated by both cotton and polyester clothing while in a dryer were collected and counted in order to estimate the quantity released into the outdoor air from a household’s laundry each year. The researchers dried clothing items made of polyester and those made of cotton separately in a tumble dryer that had a vent pipe to the outdoors.&nbsp;



They connected the outlet pipe to an air sampling machine that measured the volume of air passing through and collected the suspended particles. The microfibers were filtered onto filter paper and the particles that had been airborne in the sample were counted. The air sampling machine ran for 15 minutes for each sample.



The results showed that both types of clothing produced microfibers which, according to the team, probably arise from the friction of the clothes rubbing past each other as they tumble around. For both fabrics, the dryer released between 1.4 and 40 times more microscopic fragments than are generated in waste water by washing machines. (A pair of jeans can release around 56,000 microfibers into the waste each time it is washed.)



The researchers also found that the release of polyester microfibers increases with the size of the load in the dryer, whereas the release of cotton microfibers remains constant, regardless of the load size. According to the study authors, a possible explanation is that some cotton microfibers aggregate and cannot stay airborne, but this is not the case for polyester.&nbsp;



Finally, the team estimated that between 90 and 120 million microfibers are produced and released into the air outside by the average single Canadian household’s dryer every year. The experts suggest that additional filtration systems need to be fitted to dryer vents in order to control the release of these airborne microfibers into the environment.&nbsp;



The study is published in the ACS journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/journal/estlcu">Environmental Science &amp; Technology Letters</a>.



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

Clothes dryers release millions of microfibers into the air

Clothes that are dried regularly in a household tumble dryer...

Melting ice caps, starving polar bears, devastating hurricanes, uncontrollable wildfires, desertification and famine - the list of problems associated with climate change continues to grow. A new study from Potsdam scientists has added yet another consequence to this list, as the team has found that rainy days have a negative impact on the economy.&nbsp;



The study, which is published the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>, shows that an increase in rainy days caused by burning fossil fuels is likely to hurt the economy, and wealthy nations will be the hardest hit.&nbsp;



The research was led by Leonie Wenz of the <a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/home">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research</a> (PIK) and the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC).



“This is about prosperity, and ultimately about people’s jobs," said Wenz.&nbsp; "Economies across the world are slowed down by more wet days and extreme daily rainfall – an important insight that adds to our growing understanding of the true costs of climate change,”



Warm air holds more water than cold air, and as our atmosphere warms due to climate change, more water can be carried by clouds and released as rain. This means that due to climate change, rainfall is likely to continue to increase across many parts of the world.&nbsp;



For the investigation, the scientists analyzed data from 1,500 regions over the last 40 years showing the connection between an increase in rainy days and a decline in the economy.&nbsp;



“Our study reveals that it’s precisely the fingerprint of global warming in daily rainfall which have hefty economic effects that have not yet been accounted for but are highly relevant," said study co-author Anders Levermann.



"Taking a closer look at short time scales instead of annual averages helps to understand what is going on: it's the daily rainfall which poses the threat. It’s rather the climate shocks from weather extremes that threaten our way of life than the gradual changes. By destabilizing our climate we harm our economies. We have to make sure that our burning of fossil fuels does not destabilize our societies, too.”



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

Rainy days put a damper on economic growth

Melting ice caps, starving polar bears, devastating hurricanes, uncontrollable wildfires,...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

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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

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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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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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

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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

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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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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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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"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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