Wrinkles don’t just appear because you’re growing older. Beneath every line and fold lies a mechanical truth. As your skin ages, its ability to manage physical stress weakens, leading to creases and crumples. But how exactly does that happen?



Scientists have long speculated on why older skin forms wrinkles. Many blamed genetics, sun damage, or gradual loss of proteins like collagen and elastin. But no one had tested these ideas on actual human skin until now. 



Researchers at <a href="https://www.binghamton.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Binghamton University</a>, State University of New York (<a href="https://www.suny.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SUNY</a>), decided to find out what really happens when skin ages.



Their work goes beyond theory. They brought solid experimental evidence to show how wrinkles form through physical buckling when <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/summer-skin-care-dermatologists-reveal-the-ingredients-they-trust/">skin</a> stretches and contracts over time. The results confirm what many suspected but couldn’t prove.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-skin-shrinks-more-with-age">Skin shrinks more with age</h2>



Guy German, an associate professor of biomedical engineering, and his team closely examined strips of human skin from people aged 16 to 91. They used a low-force tensometer to stretch these samples in one direction. 



What they found was simple but powerful: when <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stem-cells-can-shift-from-hair-growth-to-skin-healing/">skin</a> stretches one way, it contracts the other way. This shrinking movement increases with age. When it becomes too strong, the skin buckles and forms wrinkles. 



“This is no longer just a theory,” said Professor German. “We now have hard experimental evidence showing the physical mechanism behind aging.”



Imagine your oldest hoodie. Over time, it stretches in random spots and loses its shape. Skin, though far more complex, behaves in a surprisingly similar way.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-milestone-for-skin-science">A milestone for skin science</h2>



For Professor German, this breakthrough isn’t just another study. It’s personal. Understanding how and why <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-skins-bacteria-could-be-a-natural-sunscreen/">skin</a> wrinkles was one of his life goals.



Professor German questioned the endless advice from media and marketers about anti-aging. Instead of relying on vague claims, he wanted scientific clarity.



“When I got into this field, that was one of my goals - can I figure out aging? Because if I look at the TV, the radio, online, at shops, I'm being told 1,000 different things about how to improve my skin health, and I want to know what's right and what isn't. And so I thought I'd skip to the end and try and figure it out myself.“



Abraham Ittycheri and Alejandro Wiltshire, both students of Professor German, played key roles in this research. Together, they applied gentle tension to the skin samples and carefully recorded how the tissue responded. 



The setup mimicked everyday pressures your skin feels while smiling, frowning, or even sleeping.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wrinkles-form-when-skin-gets-wonky">Wrinkles form when skin gets "wonky"</h2>



As skin ages, it doesn’t stretch and contract evenly. German explained that youthful <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/vitamin-c-promotes-skin-renewal-and-anti-aging-at-the-genetic-level-dna-demethylation/">skin</a> has predictable mechanical properties. But over time, these properties begin to shift.



“Your skin has one set of mechanical properties when you're young, but as you get older, things begin to change and get a bit ‘wonky,’” said Professor German.



He noted that aging skin stretches more sideways. This uneven tension causes folds to appear. 



Interestingly, the skin doesn’t rest naturally. Even when you’re relaxed, internal forces are still pulling it in various directions. These built-in tensions increase the likelihood of wrinkling.



“Things degrade a bit, and it turns out the skin stretches laterally more, which causes the actual wrinkles that form," explained Professor German.



"And the reason why that exists in the first place is that your skin is not in a stress-free state. It's actually stretched a little bit. So there are inherent forces within your skin itself, and those are the driving force towards wrinkles.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-silly-putty-skin-and-sun">Silly putty, skin, and sun</h2>



To explain further, German used a simple analogy. “If you stretch Silly Putty for instance, it stretches horizontally, but it also shrinks in the other direction - it gets thinner. That's what skin does as well."



“As you get older, that contraction gets bigger. And if your skin is contracted too much, it buckles. That's how wrinkles form.”



This shrinking effect mirrors what happens to the dermal layer of your skin. Over time, it loses strength and elasticity, which changes how it handles movement and pressure.



Sun exposure can make this process worse. According to Professor German, long-term time in the sun can cause your skin to age faster even if you’re still young.



“If you spend your life working outside, you’re more likely to have more aged and wrinkled skin than those who are office workers, for example,” he said. 



“Chronological aging and photoaging give you similar results. So go and have a fab summer, but don't forget the suntan lotion - your future self will appreciate it.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-how-wrinkles-form">Understanding how wrinkles form</h2>



The new research finally puts years of assumptions to the test. Past models speculated about the weakening of the dermal structure. But this is the first time scientists used real samples to demonstrate exactly how wrinkles form.



By identifying this contraction behavior in skin, the study offers a new path for future cosmetic and clinical strategies. Treatments may now aim to adjust how skin responds to tension, instead of simply adding hydration or boosting collagen.



For now, the study acts as a solid foundation, clearing the noise in a crowded industry full of unverified claims. It marks a new chapter in our understanding of what really happens as skin ages.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1751616125001961?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials</a>. 



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Scientists finally know how wrinkles form when skin ages

Wrinkles don’t just appear because you’re growing older. Beneath every line and fold lies a mechanical truth. As your skin ages, its ability to manage physical stress weakens, leading to creases and crumples. But how exactly does that happen? Scientists have long speculated on why older skin forms wrinkles. Many blamed genetics, sun damage, or gradual loss of proteins like collagen and elastin. But no one had tested these ideas on actual human skin until now. Researchers at Binghamton University, State University of New York (SUNY), decided...

The most recent update of <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/">The Lancet</a> Commission on Pollution and Health has revealed that nine million people died from causes attributable to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/heavy-metal-pollution-increases-antibiotic-resistance-in-rivers/">pollution</a> during 2019, which is equivalent to one out of every six deaths in that year. Even more sobering is the fact that this of deaths number has hardly changed since the last survey, conducted in 2015.&nbsp;



The previous Lancet&nbsp;report on pollution and health used data from the 2015 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study. That analysis found that pollution was responsible for an estimated nine million deaths – 16 percent of all deaths globally. The new report provides updated estimates for the health effects of pollution, based on the most recently available 2019 GBD data.&nbsp;



The experts determined that, although the number of deaths from pollution sources associated with extreme poverty (such as indoor air and water pollution) have decreased, these reductions are offset by increased deaths attributable to industrial contaminants (such as ambient air and chemical pollution).&nbsp;&nbsp;



“The health impacts of pollution remain enormous, and low- and middle-income countries bear the brunt of this burden. Despite its enormous health, social and economic impacts, pollution prevention is largely overlooked in the international development agenda,” said Richard Fuller, lead author of the report. “Attention and funding has only minimally increased since 2015, despite well-documented increases in public concern about pollution and its health effects.”



“Pollution is still the largest existential threat to human and planetary health and jeopardizes the sustainability of modern societies. Preventing pollution can also slow climate change – achieving a double benefit for planetary health – and our report calls for a massive, rapid transition away from all fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy,” said co-author Professor Philip Landrigan, director of the Global Public Health Program and Global Pollution Observatory at Boston College. 



Of the nine million deaths identified in the study, air pollution (both household and ambient) remains responsible for the greatest number of deaths – 6.67 million worldwide. By comparison, water pollution was responsible for 1.36 million premature deaths. Lead poisoning contributed 900,000 additional premature deaths, followed by toxic occupational hazards at 870,000 deaths.



Ambient air pollution was responsible for 4.5 million deaths in 2019, up from 4.2 million deaths in 2015 and 2.9 million in 2000. Deaths from hazardous chemical pollutants increased from 0.9 million in 2000, to 1.7 million in 2015, to 1.8 million in 2019, with 900,000 deaths attributable to lead pollution in 2019.&nbsp;



Overall, deaths from modern pollution have increased by 66 percent in the past two decades, from an estimated 3.8 million deaths in 2000 to 6.3 million deaths in 2019. Figures on deaths from chemical pollutants are likely to be underestimates as only a small number of manufactured chemicals in commerce have been adequately tested for safety or toxicity.



Further analysis of the trends showed that deaths from traditional pollution (household air pollution from the use of solid fuels, and unsafe water) have decreased since 2009. This was most evident in Africa, where improvements in water supply and sanitation, enhanced availability of antibiotics and treatments, and cleaner fuels have had a positive impact. 



However, this reduction has been offset by a substantial increase in deaths from exposure to industrial pollution – such as ambient air pollution, lead pollution, and other forms of chemical pollution – across all regions over the past 20 years. This is especially the case in Southeast Asia, where rising levels of industrial pollution are combined with aging populations and increasing numbers of people exposed.



The excess deaths due to pollution have had an economic impact, leading to losses totaling US$ 4.6 trillion in 2019, a sum that equates to 6.2 percent of global economic output. The study also notes the deep inequity of pollution’s impact, with 92 percent of pollution-related deaths, and the greatest burden of pollution’s economic losses, being recorded in low-income and middle-income countries.



The study authors make eight recommendations for improving the situation. These include the establishment of an independent, intergovernmental science/policy panel on pollution, in addition to increased funding for pollution control from governments, independent, and philanthropic donors, and improved pollution monitoring and data collection. 



The experts also suggest that international organizations need to establish a better connection between science and policy for pollution, like those for climate and biodiversity, initially for chemicals, waste, and air pollution.



“Pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss are closely linked. Successful control of these conjoined threats requires a globally supported, formal science-policy interface to inform intervention, influence research and guide funding," said study co-author Rachael Kupka, executive director of the Global Alliance on Health and Pollution.



"Pollution has typically been viewed as a local issue to be addressed through subnational and national regulation, or occasionally with regional policy in higher income regions. However, it is clear that pollution is a planetary threat, and that its drivers, dispersion, and health impacts transcend local boundaries and demand a global response. Global action on all major modern pollutants is needed." 



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(22)00090-0/fulltext">The Lancet Planetary Health</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

One in six deaths in 2019 was caused by pollution

The most recent update of The Lancet Commission on Pollution...

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.helsinki.fi/en">University of Helsinki</a>, experts have confirmed that scent dogs can be trained to accurately detect <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cognitive-loss-from-severe-covid-equates-to-20-years-of-aging/">coronavirus</a> in human skin swabs. A field experiment conducted in Finland’s Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport showed that the dogs could accurately identify Covid-positive individuals with a success rate of 92 percent.



Initially, the dogs were trained for several weeks to sniff out coronavirus in random skin swab samples. The Covid status of all the skin sample donors had been confirmed by PCR prior to the experiment. During the field study, the dog handlers and researchers did not know which of the samples were positive or negative. 



According to the researchers, the dogs correctly identified the Covid-positive samples more than 90 percent of the time. They say the study confirms previous reports suggesting that scent dogs can reliably identify individuals with a coronavirus infection.



“Our study set-up was of a high scientific standard. The sample sizes were sufficiently large, and all dogs sniffed an identical set of samples, allowing comparison of their performances," said Anna Hielm-Björkman, leader of the DogRisk research group.



"The dogs also had to successfully indicate sample sets containing only negative samples – an important trait when screening individuals. Another significant advantage was that samples were collected from outpatients instead of hospital patients. In addition, the testing was performed under real-life conditions rather than in a laboratory."&nbsp;



Professor Anu Kantele said she was particularly impressed by the fact that dogs performed worse with samples that had been collected from patients who were infected with a coronavirus variant. 



"The explanation is simple: the dogs had originally been trained with the initial wild-type virus, and thus they did not always identify the variant samples as positive. This reveals their incredible ability of discrimination," said Professor Kantele.



"Scent dogs can provide an invaluable tool for limiting viral spread during a pandemic, serving for example at air- and seaports. Such a reliable, cheap approach to rapidly screen a vast number of samples or to identify passing virus carriers from a large crowd is of value particularly when the testing capacity with traditional approaches is insufficient."



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://gh.bmj.com/">BMJ Global Health</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

Dogs can accurately detect coronavirus on human skin

In a new study from the University of Helsinki, experts...

In a recent study from <a href="https://www.mcgill.ca/">McGill University</a>, researchers tracked over two million people for twenty years to investigate the link between wildfire exposure and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-plant-virus-could-help-cure-cancer/">cancer</a> rates. The results show that people exposed to wildfires are more likely to develop lung cancer and brain tumors.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"Wildfires tend to happen in the same locations each year, but we know very little about the long-term health effects of these events. Our study shows that living in close proximity to wildfires may increase the risk of certain cancers," said Scott Weichenthal, an associate professor in the Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health at McGill.



People living within 50 kilometers of wildfires over the last ten years had 10 percent higher instances of brain tumors and 4.9 percent higher instances of lung cancer.&nbsp;



Although one of the main culprits for cancer in wildfires comes from poor air quality and carcinogens emitted into the air, this isn’t the only problem. Fires also pollute water supplies where many toxins can run off to collect in streams and lakes. Likewise, soil can also be polluted by wildfires. Regardless of how exposure occurs, there are several carcinogens released by wildfires.&nbsp;&nbsp;



&nbsp;"Many of the pollutants emitted by wildfires are known human carcinogens, suggesting that exposure could increase cancer risk in humans," said Jill Korsiak, a PhD student in Professor Weichenthal's lab who led the analysis.



"Exposure to harmful environmental pollutants might continue beyond the period of active burning through several routes of exposure," added Professor Weichenthal.



Unfortunately, due to climate change and mismanagement of forests, wildfires are on the rise and expected to continue to increase in frequency and intensity. Research into the health impacts of fires will only become more relevant as the negative impact of climate change becomes more widespread.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/home">The Lancet Planetary Health</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

Wildfire exposure increases the risk of certain cancers

In a recent study from McGill University, researchers tracked over...

Cnidocytes are specialized stinging cells that shoot a venomous "harpoon" into the unwary. These cells are common to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/jellyfish-eyes-catch-a-glimpse-of-evolutionary-history/">jellyfish</a>, anemone, corals and hydrae - known collectively as cnidarians.&nbsp;



A new study from <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a> shows that cnidocytes might be important for understanding the origins of new cell types, from an evolutionary perspective. The research, led by professor Leslie Babonis, revealed that cnidocytes evolved from neurons found in a pre-cnidarian ancestral animal.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"These surprising results demonstrate how new genes acquire new functions to drive the evolution of biodiversity," said Babonis. "They suggest that co-option of ancestral cell types was an important source for new cell functions during the early evolution of animals."



Interestingly, during cnidarian development, stem cells "decide" to become either neurons or cnidocytes, showing the evolutionary history of the latter. Many animals have neurons but stinging cells are entirely unique to cnidarians. Babonis and colleagues set out to study sea anemones to investigate how a neuron can be reprogrammed to become a cnidocyte.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



"One of the unique features of cnidocytes is that they all have an explosive organelle (a little pocket inside the cell) that contains the harpoon that shoots out to sting you," said Babonis. "These harpoons are made of a protein that is also found only in cnidarians, so cnidocytes seem to be one of the clearest examples of how the origin of a new gene (that encodes a unique protein) could drive the evolution of a new cell type."



Looking at the genomics of a sea anemone, the scientists were able to determine that stinging cells develop by a single gene being turned off for the expression of a neuropeptide. Moreover, a single gene turns off the neuron function and turns on the development of a cnidocyte.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



"There is a single gene that acts like a light switch -- when it's on, you get a cnidocyte, when it's off you get a neuron," Babonis said. "It's a pretty simple logic for controlling cell identity."



The researchers plan to expand their study to other animals to see how common a simple on/off genetic switch is in the development of new cell types.&nbsp;



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

Stinging cells shed light on the early evolution of animals

Cnidocytes are specialized stinging cells that shoot a venomous "harpoon"...

Elevated heavy metal levels in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-ocean-microplastics-originate-in-european-rivers/">rivers</a> can lead to higher levels of antibiotic resistance. This is the conclusion of new research from <a href="https://www.ncl.ac.uk/">Newcastle University</a> and the Indian Institute of Technology.



The scientists quantified antibiotic and metal resistance in sediments from the Ganges and Yamuna Rivers in India and streams in the River Tyne catchment.&nbsp;



River Tyne has high traces of heavy metals due to historic mining and industrial activity, and this is related to antibiotic resistance levels in the river. The same was found in areas of industrial activity across the Indian rivers.



The research team investigated the relationships between heavy metals concentrations, metal resistance gene (MRG) and antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) abundances. The experts found that MRG and ARG abundances increase where metal levels are higher. This suggests that metal pollution has increased antibiotic resistance, even when elevated antibiotics are not evident.



Metall pollution was also found to affect resident bacteria, with Firmicutes and Bacteroidota being the most abundant phyla at sites with high metal pollution. These bacteria are common in metal contaminated environments and are known to carry MRGs and ARGs in groups in “gene cassettes," which explains why metal exposures can cause antibiotic resistance.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The study identified metals that promote the strongest bacterial responses, and these include cobalt combined with nickel, and the combination of cobalt, zinc and cadmium.



“The work does not necessarily imply a health risk, but it shows that a river or stream without antibiotics pollution can still have elevated antibiotic resistance due to other pollutants, such as metals," said study co-author Professor David Graham. "However, in a river like the Yamuna, which has high metals in combination with many other pollutants, greater concerns about the spread of antibiotic resistance exist.”



High metal exposure can co-select antibiotic resistance in bacteria, with the potential to become resistant to many antibiotics.&nbsp;



“The impacts of heavy metals-induced antibiotic resistance get exacerbated when high metal levels are combined with other pollutants such as antibiotics, detergents, and other chemicals, highlighting the importance of reducing heavy metal pollution as part of One Health solutions for reducing ARG transmission and spread," said study lead author Dr. Sonia Gupta.



Antibiotic resistance is a global public health issue, with implications on the effective treatment of infections caused by bacteria, parasites, viruses and fungi. Antibiotic use selects for resistant bacterial strains in human and animal waste, which can be spread through wastewater. This can lead to antibiotic resistance spreading in bacteria across various natural ecosystems.&nbsp;



The research team p<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749122005401?dgcid=coauthor">ublished their findings</a> in the journal Environmental Pollution.&nbsp;



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

Heavy metal pollution increases antibiotic resistance in rivers

Elevated heavy metal levels in rivers can lead to higher...

Although methane emissions have been increasing rapidly over the past years, contributing significantly to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-disrupts-communication-among-animals/">climate</a> change, this problem is not adequately treated within current national and international governance frameworks. A new study led by the <a href="https://www.iass-potsdam.de/de">Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies</a> (IASS) in Potsdam, Germany highlights the urgent need for action to curb methane emissions in order to mitigate global warming.&nbsp;



Under the Paris Agreement, the effects of all greenhouse gases are expressed in terms of “CO2&nbsp;equivalents,” a unit of measurement which reflects these gases’ warming effects over a period of 100 years. However, such an approach fails to adequately represent methane’s impact on the climate, while also neglecting its negative effects on human health and ecosystems.



“Governing methane based on assigning it a “CO2&nbsp;equivalence” means that only its climate impact on a 100-year timescale is robustly taken into account – including within carbon pricing schemes, for example,” said study lead author Kathleen Mar, an expert in Atmospheric Chemistry at IASS.



“This neglects methane’s critically important role in near-term climate – over the course of the next 20 years – during which time methane’s warming impact is roughly 80 times greater than that of CO2. Methane’s short atmospheric lifetime means that efforts to reduce emissions can rapidly reduce atmospheric concentrations and, as a consequence, global warming.”



Methane emissions are caused by both natural and anthropogenic factors, including wetlands, fires, fossil fuels, agriculture, and waste management. While scientists have already noted that these emissions have increased dramatically in recent years, the full scope of methane pollution is still underestimated. For instance, methane emissions due to leakages from gas and oil operations are underreported, while in the agricultural sector, reporting remains dominated by basic estimation methods.



However, some developments in controlling these emissions – such as the “Global Methane Pledge” to reduce emissions by at least 30 percent during this decade that was signed by 100 countries at the COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow – offer a glimmer of hope that the impact of this harmful gas on our planet could be mitigated.



According to Dr. Mar, swift implementation of these pledges is critical. “When it comes to climate change, governments have often failed to deliver on their promises. This doesn’t have to be the case when it comes to methane: significant reductions in methane emissions are within our reach with available technologies and cost-effective measures, including the improved detection of leakages in the oil and gas industry as well as methane capture and utilization technologies for landfills."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1462901122001204?via%3Dihub">Environmental Science &amp; Policy</a>.&nbsp;&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

Impacts of methane emissions are greatly underestimated

Although methane emissions have been increasing rapidly over the past...

A new study led by <a href="https://www.gsu.edu/">Georgia State University</a> (GSU) has created genetically-edited hamsters in order to shed more light on the mechanisms structuring social behavior. By using CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology to eliminate the actions of a neurochemical signaling pathway which plays a critical role in regulating social behavior in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mammals-change-their-schedules-to-adapt-to-city-life/">mammals</a>, the experts reached a startling, unexpected conclusion about the biological underpinnings of social interaction.



Scientists have long known that the hormone vasopressin, together with the receptor that it acts on (called Avpr1a) regulate a wide range of social phenomena, including cooperation, pair bonding, social communication, dominance, and aggression. Now, the researchers discovered that knocking out the Avpr1a receptor in hamsters, and thus eliminating vasopressin’s action on it, fundamentally altered the expression of social behavior in highly unexpected ways.



“We were really surprised at the results,” said study senior author H. Elliott Albers, a professor of Neuroscience at GSU. “We anticipated that if we eliminated vasopressin activity, we would reduce both aggression and social communication. But the opposite happened.”&nbsp;



Surprisingly, hamsters without this receptor showed much higher levels of social communication behavior than those with intact receptors. Moreover, the typical sex differences structuring aggressive behavior were eliminated, with both male and female hamsters displaying high levels of aggression towards their same-sex conspecifics.&nbsp;



“This suggests a startling conclusion,” Professor Albers said. “Even though we know that vasopressin increases social behaviors by acting within a number of brain regions, it is possible that the more global effects of the Avpr1a receptor are inhibitory.”



“We don’t understand this system as well as we thought we did. The counterintuitive findings tell us we need to start thinking about the actions of these receptors across entire circuits of the brain and not just in specific brain regions.”



Since the social organization of hamsters is far more similar to humans than that observed in mice (the most common animal used in laboratory experiments), these results could help clarifying the mechanisms of human social interaction, better understanding how a wide range of neuropsychiatric conditions develop, and developing innovative treatments of such disorders.&nbsp;



“Developing gene-edited hamsters was not easy. But it is important to understand the neurocircuitry involved in human social behavior and our model has translational relevance for human health.&nbsp;Understanding the role of vasopressin in behavior is necessary to help identify potential new and more effective treatment strategies for a diverse group of neuropsychiatric disorders ranging from autism to depression,” Professor Albers concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2121037119">Proceedings of the Royal 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

Hamsters reveal new clues about social behavior in mammals

A new study led by Georgia State University (GSU) has...

A new study led by the <a href="https://med.nyu.edu/">NYU Grossman School of Medicine</a> has found that running increases the levels of a chemical involved in brain cell growth – the so-called “brain-derived neurotrophic factor” (BDNF) - that triggers the release of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dopamine-plays-a-central-role-in-songbird-mating/">dopamine</a>, a hormone which plays a crucial role in motivation, movement, and learning.&nbsp;



Scientists have long known that regular running raises dopamine activity in the brain, and could protect nerve cells from damage. Moreover, previous research has found correlations between exercise-driven boosts of BDNF and dopamine levels and significant improvements in learning and memory. However, the precise ways in which these factors interact has remained a mystery.



In the new study, researchers provided dozens of male mice with unlimited access to either a freely rotating wheel or a locked, immobile wheel.&nbsp;



After a month, they measured BDNF and dopamine levels in the mice’s brains, and found that running on a wheel for 30 days led to a 40 percent increase in dopamine release in the dorsal striatum – a part of the brain involved in movement – and a nearly 60 percent increase in BDNF levels, compared to their non-running counterparts.&nbsp;



The dopamine levels remained high even after a week of rest. However, when BDNF levels were artificially reduced, running did not result in additional dopamine release.



“Our findings suggest that BDNF plays a key role in the long-lasting changes that occur in the brain as a result of running,” said study lead author Guendalina Bastioli, a postdoctoral fellow in Neurobiology at<a href="https://nyulangone.org/"> NYU Langone Health</a>. “Not only do these results help explain why exercise makes you move, think, and feel better, they also show that these benefits continue even if you do not work out every day.”



Since patients with Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders are often treated with drugs mimicking the effect of dopamine on motor neurons, the results of this study could open paths for non-pharmaceutical treatment of such disease.&nbsp;



“Our results help us understand why exercise alleviates the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, as well as those of neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression,” said study senior author Margaret Rice. “Now that we know why physical activity helps, we can explore it as a means of augmenting or even replacing the use of dopamine-enhancing drugs in these patients.”



Further research is needed to investigate whether these findings could be easily translated from rodents to humans, and to fully understand the role of BDNF and dopamine in movement disorders.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2273-21.2022">JNeurosci</a>.&nbsp;&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

Why running can help you move, think, and feel better

A new study led by the NYU Grossman School of...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> has found that much of the excess heat stored in the subtropical North Atlantic is in the deep part of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/95-percent-of-ocean-could-become-inhospitable-this-century/">ocean</a>, below 700 meters. The scientists estimated that, over the next 50 years, the deep ocean’s temperatures will increase by a further 0.2°C.&nbsp;



Until now, oceans have absorbed about 90 percent of the warming caused by human activities. By using temperature records and “chemical tracers” – compounds whose composition can be used to discover past changes in the oceans – the researchers have found that, in the subtropical North Atlantic, 62 percent of the warming from 1850 to 2018 is held in the deep ocean. This warming will most likely have a negative impact on our planet, leading to sea-level rise, changing ecosystems, ocean currents and chemistry, and deoxygenation.



“As our planet warms, it’s vital to understand how the excess heat taken up by the ocean is redistributed in the ocean interior all the way from the surface to the bottom, and it is important to take into account the deep ocean to assess the growth of Earth’s ‘energy imbalance,’” said Dr. Marie-Jose Messias, a senior lecturer in Oceanography at the University of Exeter.&nbsp;



“As well as finding that the deep ocean is holding much of this excess heat, our research shows how ocean currents redistribute heat to different regions. We found that this redistribution was a key driver of warming in the North Atlantic.”



According to Dr. Messias and her colleagues, the main cause of North Atlantic deep ocean warming is the system of currents known as the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). This system works like a conveyor belt, carrying warm water from the tropics north, where colder and denser water sinks into the deep ocean, slowly spreading southward. Thus, excess heat from the Southern Hemisphere oceans is constantly transferred to the North Atlantic by AMOC.



Further research is needed to clarify the mechanisms of heat transferred from the Southern to the Northern Hemisphere oceans, and the role that AMOC plays in these processes.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s43247-022-00443-4">Nature Communications: Earth &amp; Environment</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

Deep ocean temperatures are steadily rising

A new study led by the University of Exeter has...

A recent study led by the <a href="https://www.hull.ac.uk/">University of Hull</a> highlights another grim consequence of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-supercharge-forest-disturbances/">climate</a> change. The researchers have found that shifting climate conditions are disrupting chemical communication within marine, freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems.



The researchers have demonstrated that climate change affects interactions among organisms across different types of ecosystems in similar ways. Disruptions in chemical communication can wreak havoc on a species and an ecosystem. They affect mating patterns, predator/prey systems, and the ability of animals to find food.



"Chemical communication is the ubiquitous language of life on earth - but this is being jeopardized by global change. There's no talking with words for life underwater, so aquatic organisms' talk' in chemical signals. But this fine-tuned 'language' is in peril," said study co-author Dr. Patrick Fink.



In the paper, the international team of researchers demonstrates that climate change has a similar impact on communication in terrestrial and aquatic environments, even though both environments have different stressors.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"Although a growing number of studies suggest that climate change-associated stressors cause adverse effects on the communication between organisms, knowledge of the underlying mechanisms remains scarce," said study lead author Dr. Christina C. Roggatz.



"We urgently need a systematic approach to be able to compare results and fully understand the potentially disruptive impact that climate change is having upon each step of this fundamental communication process. Understanding this means we are better equipped to predict and protect the future of our planet."



According to study co-author Dr. Jörg Hardege, as climate change continues, we need more research to predict the consequences at the species interaction level. He noted that we need to research land, sea, and freshwater environments to fully understand how species will function with the coming changes. Without this research, we can only speculate.&nbsp;



Dr. Roggatz concludes that this paper is a "wake-up call" because humans are a part of the ecosystem and rely on it for essential functions. This communication breakdown will have severe consequences for all life on earth, including humans.&nbsp;



"The predominantly negative effects that climate change has upon the language of life within terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems could have a range of far-reaching implications for the future of our planet and human wellbeing, for example by impacting food security and fundamental ecosystem services that make our planet habitable."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652486">Global Change Biology</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:nire518@gmail.com">Erin Moody </a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Climate change disrupts communication among animals

A recent study led by the University of Hull highlights...

Alternative,Medicine.,Rosemary,,Mint,,Chamomile,,Thyme,In,A,Glass,Mortar.

Herbal supplements may not always be safe, according to a new study published by <a href="https://www.elsevier.com/">Elsevier</a>. The research highlights how serious side effects can result from the imprudent use of herbal supplements.



The report describes a case in which a patient was diagnosed with a dangerous cardiac arrhythmia after taking hemp oil containing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cbd-improves-eases-arthritis-symptoms-in-dogs/">CBD</a> and CBG along with berberine supplements.



“More and more people are taking herbal supplements for their potential benefits. Yet their ‘natural’ character can be misleading, since these preparations can have serious adverse side effects on their own or if combined with other supplements or medications,” said Dr. Elise Bakelants, an expert in the Department of Cardiology at the University Hospital of Geneva. “Their use should not be taken lightly, and dosing recommendations should always be respected.”



The study examined the case of a 56-year-old woman who experienced dizziness and fainting without warning. After physical exams came back as normal, doctors determined that the condition was caused by the herbal supplements she was taking to cope with stress.&nbsp;



Four months earlier, the patient had started taking six times the recommended dose of hemp oil, and had recently added berberine to the mix. She was then diagnosed with a life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia.



During her hospital stay, all supplements were stopped resulting in positive changes, which strongly validated a link between the supplements and the arrhythmia.



The popularity of herbal supplements has grown in recent years, especially those containing CBD (cannabidiol). This particular supplement is very accessible and available without any prescription.&nbsp;



CBD has been promoted for its anti-inflammatory, antipsychotic, and immunomodulatory properties. The products do not contain THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) - therefore, it is not subjected to scrutiny by drug regulatory agencies.&nbsp;



Berberine, found in many medicinal plants, is frequently used in traditional Chinese and ayurvedic medicine for various types of treatment.&nbsp;



The preparation of herbal supplements is largely unregulated. Exact composition can vary greatly from one distributor to another, and properties of these substances are not well known. There are limited data on their effectiveness and toxicity, making it&nbsp; difficult to predict potential side effects.



Dr. Bakelants cautioned patients and physicians to follow dosing recommendations and consider possible interactions with other medications, particularly in patients with underlying cardiac disease or those already taking QT-prolonging medication.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.heartrhythmcasereports.com/">HeartRhythm Case Reports</a>.



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

Herbal supplements are not always safe

Herbal supplements may not always be safe, according to a...

The ways in which we produce <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/food-production-linked-to-one-third-of-global-emissions/">food</a> and manage our lands are responsible for almost a third of global greenhouse gas emissions along the entire supply chain. A new study led by the <a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/home">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research</a> (PIK) has found that just shrinking the size of our current food system will not substantially cut emissions. Instead, the experts argue that fundamental transformations in the very nature of the global food system are necessary in order to fix these problems.



“That means on the one hand that people consume what they need in terms of nutritional requirements, curb food waste, and eat a more balanced diet, with much more vegetables and less animal products,” explained study lead author Benjamin Bodirsky, a senior scientist at PIK.



“On the other hand, a qualitative transformation means more efficiency, hence producing food in a less-polluting way: smarter dosing of fertilizers or planting higher-yield crops. Also, carbon pricing could help steer farmers towards lower-emission agricultural practices, because emitting less means paying less. Put together, this could drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”



Dr. Bodirsky and his colleagues performed an in-depth review of degrowth proposals and created a set of scenarios which they fed into a food and land systems computer simulation to explore their effect on the food system. These analyses revealed that the current food system is unsustainable for any society, regardless of economic growth rates.



According to the simulations, simply curbing growth in rich countries would not lead to sizable sustainability benefits in the food system. Moreover, financial transfers from richer to poorer countries within the current development paradigms could even increase emissions, since carbon-intensive diet changes are most pronounced when countries move from low to medium incomes.



However, when the researchers included consumption changes and efficiency gains incentivized by the price of carbon, the results pointed towards improved nutritional outcomes for all consumers, as well as lower greenhouse emissions.&nbsp;



“For the food sector, we can say that a certain degree of degrowth would be the result of the sustainable transformation, not the starting point,” said study co-author Hermann Lotze-Campen, an agricultural economist at PIK. “So basically this is not really about less but about different growth.”



Since a sustainable food system transformation that takes into account all costs to the environment would lead to a slight increase in food prices, any such changes must be accompanied by a comprehensive policy mix of smart taxing schemes, social compensation for carbon dioxide pricing, and international transfers. Finally, making agriculture more climate friendly – by controlling nitrogen flows in croplands for, instance – would entail further investments. According to the experts though, all these costs will likely be offset by the urgently needed restoration of crucial ecosystem services.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s43016-022-00500-3">Nature Food</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

Global food system is unsustainable and must be transformed

The ways in which we produce food and manage our...

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

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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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