Astronomers have spotted what may be a rare type of black hole hiding on the outskirts of a distant galaxy. This discovery could help fill in a key missing piece in our understanding of how black holes grow over time - and how galaxies build themselves around them.



The new object, known as NGC 6099 HLX-1, was picked up through a collaborative effort using NASA’s <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hubble Space Telescope</a> and the Chandra X-ray Observatory.



The bright X-ray signal coming from this object suggests it might belong to a hard-to-find class of black holes known as intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-elusive-intermediate-black-hole">The elusive intermediate black hole</h2>



The suspected black hole is located within a compact star cluster about 40,000 light-years from the center of the galaxy NGC 6099. This galaxy lies approximately 450 million light-years away in the constellation Hercules.



Most galaxies have two kinds of black holes. The massive ones - millions to billions of times the mass of our Sun - are located in the center of galaxies. Then, there are the much smaller black holes - typically less than 100 times the Sun’s mass - formed from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dead-stars-reveal-the-hidden-physics-of-the-universe/">dying stars</a>.



Between the smallest and largest black holes lies a largely uncharted middle ground: intermediate-mass black holes. Ranging from hundreds to hundreds of thousands of solar masses, they’ve been incredibly difficult to detect.



Unlike their larger cousins, IMBHs usually aren’t feeding. They don’t suck in enough material to glow brightly. Unless something triggers a flare - like a passing star getting too close - they remain invisible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-black-hole-caught-in-the-act">A black hole caught in the act</h2>



In this case, astronomers believe the black hole may have been caught red-handed during one of those feeding episodes, what scientists call a “<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/18-black-holes-captured-devouring-nearby-stars-in-dramatic-tidal-disruption-events/">tidal disruption event</a>.” When a black hole tears apart a star, it creates a superheated disk of plasma that shines in X-rays.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/_tdzj2jlKBk?si=KZ9OB1dDOpj5qHX4
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Video Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/ Paul Morris</figcaption></figure>



Chandra first picked up the signal in 2009. ESA’s XMM-Newton observatory then tracked it over time. In 2012, the object reached peak brightness - about 100 times brighter than it was in 2009. Since then, the brightness has faded.



“If the IMBH is eating a star, how long does it take to swallow the star’s gas? In 2009, HLX-1 was fairly bright. Then in 2012, it was about 100 times brighter. And then it went down again,” noted study co-author Roberto Soria of the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF). 



“So now we need to wait and see if it’s flaring multiple times, or there was a beginning, there was peak, and now it’s just going to go down all the way until it disappears.”



The X-ray emission from HLX-1 is at a temperature of about 3 million degrees, which is consistent with a violent event. Hubble added more detail by spotting a dense <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stunning-star-clusters-captured-in-the-extreme-outskirts-of-the-milky-way/">cluster of stars</a> around the black hole. 



In this packed environment, stars are only a few light-months apart - about 500 billion miles - providing plenty of fuel for a black hole to feast on.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-intermediate-mass-black-holes-matter">Why intermediate-mass black holes matter</h2>



“X-ray sources with such extreme luminosity are rare outside galaxy nuclei and can serve as a key probe for identifying elusive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/intermediate-mass-black-holes-survive-and-thrive-in-giant-star-clusters/">IMBHs</a>. They represent a crucial missing link in black hole evolution between stellar mass and supermassive black holes,” said lead author Yi-Chi Chang of <a href="https://nthu-en.site.nthu.edu.tw/index.php">National Tsing Hua University</a>.



Scientists want to study intermediate-mass black holes more closely because they might be the building blocks for the enormous black holes at galactic centers. 



When smaller galaxies merge into larger ones, their black holes may combine too. Over time, this could form the supermassive black holes we see today. Hubble data has shown that bigger galaxies tend to have bigger central black holes, suggesting they grew together.



Alternatively, some theories suggest that black holes in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-capture-baby-pictures-of-the-very-early-universe-cosmic-microwave-background/">early universe</a> didn’t start small. Instead, clouds of gas in dark-matter halos may have skipped star formation entirely and collapsed straight into giant black holes.



NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has recently found very distant black holes that seem too massive for the size of their galaxies. That might support the direct-collapse idea. Or it could be that we’re just missing the smaller ones because they’re too faint to detect at such great distances.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-telescopes-that-scan-the-entire-sky">Telescopes that scan the entire sky</h2>



“So if we are lucky, we’re going to find more free-floating black holes suddenly becoming X-ray bright because of a tidal disruption event," said Soria.



"If we can do a statistical study, this will tell us how many of these IMBHs there are, how often they disrupt a star, how bigger galaxies have grown by assembling smaller galaxies."



The main problem is coverage. Chandra and XMM-Newton observe only a tiny portion of the sky. That makes it hard to catch these sudden flares in real time. But there’s hope on the horizon.



The upcoming Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile will scan the entire sky regularly in optical light. It could help catch more of these events. 



Then, space telescopes like Hubble and Webb can follow up to confirm whether an IMBH was behind the show - and maybe help us figure out how these cosmic heavyweights really come to be.



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'Free-floating' black hole appears to be feeding on a star

Astronomers have spotted what may be a rare type of black hole hiding on the outskirts of a distant galaxy. This discovery could help fill in a key missing piece in our understanding of how black holes grow over time - and how galaxies build themselves around them. The new object, known as NGC 6099 HLX-1, was picked up through a collaborative effort using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The bright X-ray signal coming from this object suggests it might belong to a...

A recent study led by the <a href="https://www.pitt.edu/">University of Pittsburgh</a> has found that the microbes in animals’ guts influence what they choose to eat, by creating substances that prompt cravings for different kinds of foods. Although the hypothesis that the gut microbiome may influence animal dietary preferences has been speculated for years, this is the first study to explicitly test it in a laboratory setting in animals larger than a fruit fly.



The scientists gave 30 mice that lacked gut microbes a cocktail of microorganisms collected from three species of wild rodents with highly different natural <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-with-vegan-diets-may-have-better-health-outcomes/">diets</a>. They found that mice in each group chose food containing different nutrients, thus proving that the composition of their gut microbiome influenced their preferred diet.



“We all have those urges - like if you ever just felt like you need to eat a salad or you really need to eat meat,” said&nbsp;study co-author Kevin Kohl,&nbsp;an assistant professor of Biology at Pittsburgh. “Our work shows that animals with different compositions of gut microbes choose different kinds of diets.”



Since in mammals the gut and the brain are in constant conversation, certain kinds of molecules act as intermediaries. These by-products of digestion signal to the brain that the animal has eaten enough, or that they might need different types of nutrients. However, this new study shows that microbes in the gut are often producing the same molecules, potentially hijacking the line of communication between gut and brain, and changing the meaning of the circulating chemical messages in order to benefit themselves.



One messenger molecule discovered to play a fundamental role in this process is tryptophan. “Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that’s common in turkey but is also produced by gut microbes. When it makes its way to the brain, it’s transformed into serotonin, which is a signal that’s important for feeling satiated after a meal,” explained study lead author Brian Trevelline, a postdoctoral fellow at <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a>. “Eventually that gets converted into melatonin, and then you feel sleepy.”



The experiments performed on mice revealed that those with different microbiomes had different levels of tryptophan in their blood, even before given the option to choose a diet. Moreover, those with higher levels of tryptophan in their blood also had more bacteria that could produce it in their gut.



While tryptophan may play a fundamental role in gut-brain communication, it is just one thread in a complicated web of chemicals. “There are likely dozens of signals that are influencing feeding behavior on a day-to-day basis. Tryptophan produced by microbes could just be one aspect of that,” said Dr. Trevelline.



Further research is needed to clarify and analyze the complex role that microbes play in human and animal biology, and to assess their importance in determining dietary preferences.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2117537119">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

Food cravings linked to microbial activity in the gut

A recent study led by the University of Pittsburgh has...

A team of researchers from the <a href="https://www.adelaide.edu.au/">University of Adelaide</a> in Australia has found that veterinary visits can be highly stressful experiences for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-have-an-intuitive-understanding-of-physics/">dogs</a>. By measuring the heart rates of 30 dogs of various ages and breeds during a mock veterinary examination, the scientists found that one-third of the dogs’ heart rates nearly doubled between the waiting room and the examination table.



“Regular veterinary care is integral to companion dog health and welfare, but fearful patients can inhibit provision of care and pose a risk of injury to veterinary staff,” wrote the study authors. “This study aimed to identify the physiological and behavioral responses of a sample of 30 dogs of various age and breed, to a standardized physical examination in a simulated veterinary setting.”



While in the waiting room, the dogs’ average heart rate was 97 beats per minute (bpm), during the physical examination, one third of the dogs’ heart rates nearly doubled, peaking at an average value of 180bpm (with a greyhound experiencing a heart rate as high as 230bpm). The heart rates were the highest during the first stage of the examination (when dogs were patted by the examiner), as well as the last one (a simulated vaccination). By contrast, the middle stage – involving a teeth examination – elicited the lowest heart rates.



The researchers noticed that the elevated heart rates were correlated with body language showing fear, such as tails tucked between the legs or ears tilted back. Overall, females seemed to be more anxious than males during veterinary visits.



“The findings of the present study suggest a routine aspect of veterinary care, the physical examination, elicits a fear response in healthy companion dogs in a mock veterinary setting,” the authors wrote. “This means that while fear may develop relating to other animals present, sounds or odors, there may also be parts of the physical examination that provoke fear either because of a previous negative experience relating to a physical examination, or fear relating to handling.”



In order to reduce anxiety in dogs during such visits, building up a relationship with a specific doctor may be helpful, so the dogs will be familiar with him or her. Moreover, avoiding rush hours is also recommended, in order for the dogs not to get overwhelmed by the presence of other animals and people in the clinic.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1558787822000338?via%3Dihub#!">Journal of Veterinary Behavior</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

Dogs’ heart rates nearly double during veterinary visits

A team of researchers from the University of Adelaide in...

Due to their enormous size, elephants have massive dietary requirements that keep them moving. New research from the <a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford</a> focuses on the question of how elephants meet their needs with new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/baby-birds-can-learn-sounds-before-theyve-even-hatched/">babies</a> in tow.



Interestingly, the research shows that the answer may lie in the incredibly long, 22-month gestation period. With such a long gestation period, babies are born remarkably well-developed and immediately able to tag along with the herd of larger and older elephants.&nbsp;



‘‘We speculate that this ability ‘to keep up’ may underpin why elephants have the longest gestation period [pregnancy] of any mammal in order to facilitate an advanced state of fetal physical development, and may have evolved to help elephant herds stay together,’’ said study lead author Dr. Lucy Taylor.&nbsp;



Elephants live in matriarchal societies, where aunts and other females may help mothers raise their young. Interestingly, different females may be pregnant at different times partly by design, making sure there are always enough helping trunks free at any given time for baby care.&nbsp;



To understand this dynamic, as well as movement patterns, the researchers tracked African savannah elephants with radio collars. The experts discovered that there’s really no pause in herd movement after new babies are born.&nbsp;



‘‘I find it remarkable that female elephants are pregnant for 22 months, give birth and then are capable of carrying on almost straight away. Even the oldest female in a family herd, the matriarch, can still give birth and lead the group, which I consider to be another demonstration of the strength and resilience of female elephants,’’ said Dr. Taylor.



‘‘Elephants of various species once roamed every continent on earth. Sociability and shared experience are likely major factors that allow African savannah elephants to thrive in such a wide range of habitats. Keeping up with the herd from the moment of birth also allows the babies to benefit from protection against predators at a vulnerable stage,’’ said Dr. Ian Douglas-Hamilton, founder of <a href="https://www.savetheelephants.org/">Save the Elephants</a>.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/animal-behaviour">Animal Behaviour</a>.&nbsp;



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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

Elephants give birth and then keep it moving

Due to their enormous size, elephants have massive dietary requirements...

We all know the potential consequences of including too much <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/for-some-greenlanders-eating-sugar-has-health-benefits/">sugar</a> in our diets – higher blood pressure, inflammation, weight gain, diabetes and fatty liver disease. In addition, all these conditions are linked to an increased risk for heart attack and stroke. Eating a high-sugar diet, in spite of these potential hazards, is a personal choice but it seems that people cannot resist feeding wildlife with snacks from their lunch packs and this may well expose vulnerable species to the same sort of health risks.



“A prolonged high-sugar diet can ‘exhaust’ the ability to regulate blood glucose,” explained Susannah French from Utah State University. “Catalina Monzon-Arguello and colleagues discovered in 2018 that juvenile green sea turtles in the Canary Islands have high fat and cholesterol levels in their blood as a result of being fed by tourists."



Endangered rock iguanas on the Exuma Islands in the northern Bahamas are also attractions for visiting ecotourists, who feed them with items such as grapes in order to interact more closely with them. French, along with Dale Denardo (Arizona State University), and northern Bahamian iguana expert Charles Knapp (John G. Shedd Aquarium), wondered whether these iguana populations would also show physiological evidence of being fed sugar-charged items not usually present in their diet.



In the initial stage of their research, the scientists tested the impact of added dietary sugar on the blood glucose levels of captive iguanas in the laboratory.&nbsp;



“We chose to study the more common green iguana in the lab, because rock iguanas are critically endangered,” said French, who supplemented the iguanas’ usual meals of "Tortoise Diet" and greens with either a high (5g/kg) or low (2.5g/kg) glucose drink.



“The low dose provides glucose in an amount similar to that found in consumed grapes,” said Denardo.&nbsp;



Then, after 17&nbsp;days, each iguana was given an intermediate strength glucose drink (3.75g/kg) and its blood glucose levels were monitored over the following two days. As expected, the reptiles’ glucose levels peaked three hours after consuming the sugar, but those iguanas that had previously been fed the high glucose diet had the most difficulty bringing their blood sugar levels under control. Glucose in their blood reached a concentration of ~520mg/dl, in contrast to iguanas that had been fed Tortoise Diet and greens alone, whose levels peaked at only ~420mg/dl.&nbsp;



The researchers interpreted the iguanas’ hyperglycaemia as evidence that a high glucose diet impacts the captive iguanas’ ability to regulate their blood glucose levels after a meal. This is a symptom typical of people who suffer from type 2 diabetes.



In the second part of the study, French, Denardo, Knapp and colleagues from various US institutions traveled to the remote Exuma Islands to measure the blood glucose levels of the rock iguanas in situ.&nbsp;



“When we pull up onto picturesque sandy beaches on the tourist islands, the sound of the boat motors draws the iguanas down, but landing on the islands where tourists do not travel requires carefully timing your jump from the boat,” said French.&nbsp;



The researchers carefully captured 24 iguanas from islands frequently visited by tourists and another 24 from islands that are too rugged for tourists to access. Each iguana was fed a glucose drink and its blood sugar levels were monitored for the best part of a day.&nbsp;



The results, published today in the <a href="https://journals.biologists.com/jeb">Journal of Experimental Biology</a>, are cause for great concern, say the scientists. The iguanas from one island where they are fed frequently by tourists experienced the highest glucose peak ~570mg/dl after five hours, and the levels were still high eight hours later. Iguanas from another island on the tourist route had a less extreme response, showing glucose levels of ~505mg/dl five hours after receiving the glucose drink.&nbsp;



By contrast, the blood sugar levels of the iguanas from the islands that rarely see tourists were much lower, peaking at ~450mg/dl. Blood glucose concentrations in these iguanas also increased at a slower rate and returned to normal more quickly.



It is clear to the researchers that feeding the wild iguanas on the Exuma Islands is impacting their ability to regulate their blood glucose levels and keep them under control. Whether this will lead to a deterioration in the health of the animals is not yet known.&nbsp;



“If these were humans, we would be talking about diabetes, however, it is not yet clear what the health implications are here. That is something we are continuing to work on,” said French.



“The opportunity to develop extraordinary connections with wildlife through tourism can lead to compassion and conservation, but we need to work towards a future where animals and the livelihoods of people who rely on them are safeguarded,” said Knapp. “While we continue to expand our understanding of how tourism affects these endangered iguanas, we hope that our research will guide science-based recommendations for sustainable wildlife activities.”



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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

Excess sugar is toxic to rock iguanas on remote islands

We all know the potential consequences of including too much...

The effects of climate change and agriculture are severely impacting insects all over the world. A new report from <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/">University College London</a> has revealed that the combination of these stressors has reduced insect populations by up to 49 percent.



The study is the first to confirm that rising temperatures and land use changes are responsible for widespread insect losses.



“Many insects appear to be very vulnerable to human pressures, which is concerning as climate change worsens and agricultural areas continue to expand," said study lead author Dr. Charlie Outhwaite.



"Our findings highlight the urgency of actions to preserve natural habitats, slow the expansion of high-intensity agriculture, and cut emissions to mitigate climate change.&nbsp;



“Losing insect populations could be harmful not only to the natural environment, where insects often play key roles in local ecosystems, but it could also harm human health and food security, particularly with losses of pollinators.



“Our findings may only represent the tip of the iceberg as there is limited evidence in some areas, particularly in the tropics which we found have quite high reductions in insect biodiversity in the most impacted areas.”



For the investigation, the researchers analyzed 750,000 records of insect abundance for nearly 20,000 species. The experts considered how species richness may have been affected by agriculture and climate warming in various regions. 



The analysis showed that in areas with the most intensive agriculture and climate warming, insect abundance was 49 percent lower compared to habitats that were less impacted.&nbsp;



The researchers noted that insect declines due to human influences may be even greater than their findings suggest, as many areas with long histories of human impacts would have already seen biodiversity losses before the start of the study period.



“The environmental harms of high-intensity agriculture present a tricky challenge as we try to keep up with food demands of a growing population," said study senior author Dr. Tim Newbold.



"We have previously found that insect pollinators are particularly vulnerable to agricultural expansion, as they appear to be more than 70% less abundant in high-intensity croplands compared to wild sites."



According to Dr. Newbold, the careful management of agricultural areas - such as preserving natural habitats near farmland - is needed to help protect insects.&nbsp;



“We need to acknowledge how important insects are for the environment as a whole, and for human health and wellbeing, in order to address the threats we pose to them before many species are lost forever," said study co-author Peter McCann.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</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

Farming and climate warming have cut insect populations in half

The effects of climate change and agriculture are severely impacting...

Portrait,Of,Two,Friends,Using,Mobile,Phone,And,Listening,To

Opioid-related deaths grew fivefold in Ontario, Canada from 2003 to 2020, and the impacts moved toward younger people. A new study published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0265509">PLOS ONE</a> showed that opioid <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/covid-19-and-the-flu-can-increase-severe-risks-including-death/">deaths</a> peak in people in their mid-thirties.&nbsp;



Opioids and opioid related deaths are increasing problems in North America. The new study gives more information for helping to tailor government response and intervention to the ongoing crisis.&nbsp;



From 2003 to 2020, there were 11,633 opioid-related deaths in Ontario, according to coroner’s office data collected for the study. These deaths were all of people aged 15 to 69. Overall, 72 percent of the deaths in the study period were of males, and 82 percent of the deaths were accidental.&nbsp;



During the study period, the death rate grew substantially, increasing five times from what it was at the beginning. Cases among males and females grew substantially, along with the proportion of younger people impacted.&nbsp;



The analysis shows that in 2003, the majority of deaths occured around the age of 44. By 2020, the majority of deaths seemed to fall around the age of 35 for males. The trend was parallelled in females.&nbsp;



The researchers suspect that the age of those dying from opioids will continue to drop, making outreach to younger people even more important. “Opioid-related mortality has been rising in Ontario, Canada since 2003, and after a brief decline in part of 2019, the upward trend resumed in the 2020 COVID-19 era," said the researchers.



"Using a novel Bayesian model and high-frequency data from the coroner's office, we show that the age distribution of opioid-related mortality has shifted gradually over 18 years from being highest among the 45 to 54-year age group, to being highest among the 25 to 44-year age group.”



"This analysis may inform a refocusing of public health strategy for reducing rising rates of opioid-related mortality, including effectively reaching both older and younger males, as well as young females, with health and social supports such as treatment and harm reduction measures."



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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

Opioid-related deaths are on the rise among young people

Opioid-related deaths grew fivefold in Ontario, Canada from 2003 to...

In a new study, experts surveyed veterinarians in the United States and Canada to determine the number of cases of cannabis poisoning in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/children-are-less-likely-to-see-farm-animals-as-just-food/">animals</a>. The results suggest that the incidence of cannabis poisoning among pets is on the rise.&nbsp;



The research was carried out by Richard Quansah Amissah of the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph and colleagues.



Previous evidence suggests that cases of pets being poisoned by cannabis are increasing, yet little was actually known about the true extent of this phenomenon. To investigate, the researchers asked 251 veterinarians based in Canada or the United States some questions during 2021. The questions were designed to elucidate how cannabis poisoning has changed over the last few years.&nbsp;&nbsp;



After analyzing the survey results, the researchers concluded that cannabis poisoning has increased significantly both in the US and Canada, particularly since the 2018 legalization in Canada. This could mean that the cases were more likely to be reported after legalization, or that more poisoning cases were actually occurring, according to the researchers.



Unintended consumption of cannabis was the leading cause of poisoning cases, but it remains unclear whether the cannabis was sometimes purchased for medicinal use in animals. The most common animals who suffered from cannabis poisoning were dogs, but there were also cases involving cats, iguanas, ferrets, cockatoos and horses.&nbsp;



Most of the animals fully recovered. A small percentage of pets died, but there were underlying factors that possibly contributed to their deaths. While the danger is small, it is still very real, making the research all that much more important.



“This is an important topic to study in the light of recent legalization of cannabis in Canada and across multiple states," said the researchers.



"In order to understand the mechanisms underlying cannabis-induced toxicosis in pets, and to develop treatments for it, we need to first understand what it looks like; this is what we had hoped to accomplish with this survey, and believe that these findings will help us get a better handle on this under-studied topic.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS ONE</a>.&nbsp;



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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

Cannabis poisoning in pets is on the rise

In a new study, experts surveyed veterinarians in the United...

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.york.ac.uk/">University of York</a>, researchers have made an enlightening discovery. Until now, scientists believed that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-heat-is-harder-on-birds-in-the-forest-than-in-the-city/">heat</a> damage on prehistoric art was an accident. However, according to study lead author Dr. Andy Needham, the damage was more consistent with being purposefully positioned close to a fire.



The team studied dozens of 15,000-year-old engraved stones, called plaquettes, from the Magdalenian people. This hunter-gatherer civilization existed in what is now known as France between 23,000 and 14,000 years ago.&nbsp;



Once the research team determined that the plaquettes were exposed to fire, they replicated the stones and used 3D models and virtual reality software to imitate what our prehistoric ancestors would have seen as they gazed upon the plaquettes under the firelight.&nbsp;



The archaeologists found that the heat damage appeared to result from people purposefully placing the plaquettes close to the fire.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Creating art by firelight would have been a very visceral experience, activating different parts of the human brain," explained Dr. Needham. "We know that flickering shadows and light enhance our evolutionary capacity to see forms and faces in inanimate objects and this might help explain why it’s common to see plaquette designs that have used or integrated natural features in the rock to draw animals or artistic forms.”



The study demonstrates just how vital fire has been for humans - physically, socially, and psychologically.



“During the Magdalenian period conditions were very cold and the landscape was more exposed. While people were well-adapted to the cold, wearing warm clothing made from animal hides and fur, fire was still really important for keeping warm," said Dr. Needham.



"Our findings reinforce the theory that the warm glow of the fire would have made it the hub of the community for social gatherings, telling stories and making art."



The study further illustrates how art has captivated the human mind for tens of thousands of years.



“At a time when huge amounts of time and effort would have gone into finding food, water and shelter, it’s fascinating to think that people still found the time and capacity to create art. It shows how these activities have formed part of what makes us human for thousands of years and demonstrates the cognitive complexity of prehistoric people.”&nbsp;



This study is published in <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLoS ONE</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

Archeologists make an illuminating discovery

In a new study from the University of York, researchers...

Pterosaurs were flying archosaurs that used bat-like leathery wings to take to the skies. Since no <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-grow-more-down-feathers-in-higher-elevations/">feathers</a> were necessary for pterosaurs to fly, scientists have long debated whether they had them at all. Some dinosaurs have been found with feathers,&nbsp; so it has always been a possibility - but pterosaurs aren’t dinosaurs.&nbsp;



Now, a new discovery not only confirms that pterosaurs had feathers, but also suggests that these feathers were colorful. The study was a collaboration between paleontologists in Ireland, Belgium and Brazil.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The researchers analyzed the findings of the 115 million year old head crest of a Tupandactylus imperator. This animal lived in Brazil from 230 to 66 million years ago and is known for its strange head crest. Along the bottom of this particular head crest, the paleontologists discovered fuzzy feathers. There were also shorter wiry feathers and branched feathers.     



“We didn’t expect to see this at all," said Dr. Aude Cincotta of <a href="https://www.ucc.ie/">University College Cork</a>. “For decades palaeontologists have argued about whether pterosaurs had feathers. The feathers in our specimen close off that debate for good as they are very clearly branched all the way along their length, just like birds today."



The scientists examined the feathers with an electron microscope and found something even more interesting. The feathers were complete with melanosomes, granules of the pigment melanin. Across various types of feathers, the melanosomes had different shapes, suggesting that the feathers were made up of different colors.&nbsp;



“In birds today, feather colour is strongly linked to melanosome shape.” said Professor Maria McNamara. “Since the pterosaur feather types had different melanosome shapes, these animals must have had the genetic machinery to control the colours of their feathers. This feature is essential for colour patterning and shows that coloration was a critical feature of even the very earliest feathers.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</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

Mystery solved: Pterosaurs had colorful feathers

Pterosaurs were flying archosaurs that used bat-like leathery wings to...

This month, the UN Biodiversity Conference will convene governments from around the world to agree to a new set of goals to protect biological <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/maps-of-bird-populations-can-help-protect-biodiversity/">diversity</a> globally. Leaders will potentially set formal goals to protect 30 percent of the Earth’s surface by 2030, and will draw up a framework to transform society’s relationship with biodiversity.&nbsp;



However, a new study led by the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> has found that simply protecting areas for the use of wildlife alone does not guarantee benefits to the populations of plants and animals. Instead, protected areas such as nature reserves and parks need to be managed specifically to preserve biodiversity. The researchers argue that targets need to be set for the quality of protected areas, not just the quantity.



“We know that protected areas can prevent habitat loss, especially in terms of stopping deforestation,” said study lead author&nbsp;<a href="https://biosciences.exeter.ac.uk/staff/profile/index.php?web_id=Hannah_Wauchope">Dr. Hannah Wauchope</a>.&nbsp;“However, we have much less understanding of how protected areas help wildlife.”



The study focused on waterbird populations in 2,500 protected areas throughout 68 different countries. Waterbirds are well studied and data about their populations has been collected over decades by researchers and citizen scientists. Waterbirds are highly mobile and can move rapidly between areas in response to their suitability and the quality of the conditions.



More than 27,000 waterbird populations were investigated using a method that compared numbers of individuals before and after the establishment of protected areas. In addition, the researchers compared population trends of similar waterbird populations inside and outside currently protected areas.&nbsp;



“Our study shows that, while many protected areas are working well, many others are failing to have a positive effect,” said Dr. Wauchope. “Rather than focussing solely on the total global area protected, we need more focus on ensuring areas are well-managed to benefit biodiversity.”



“We are not saying protected areas don't work,” added Dr. Wauchope. “The key point is that their impacts vary hugely, and the biggest thing this depends on is whether they are managed with species in mind – we can’t just expect protected areas to work without appropriate management. It also appears that larger protected areas tend to be better than smaller ones."



The findings, published today in the prestigious journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>, show that protected areas, such as national parks, have a “mixed impact” on wildlife, depending on whether or not they are managed specifically to encourage and preserve biodiversity. This study, which is the largest ever global assessment of the effects of protected areas on biodiversity, provides a much more accurate and detailed picture of the benefits of protected areas than previous studies.&nbsp;



The research team included scientists from Wetlands International and the Universities of Cambridge, Bangor, Queensland, Copenhagen, and Cornell, and the research relied on the efforts of many thousands of volunteers across the world to collect the data on waterbird population numbers. Data on waterbirds in North America came from the National Audubon Society, and the collection of data by volunteers was organized by the <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.audubon.org%2Fconservation%2Fscience%2Fchristmas-bird-count&amp;data=04%7C01%7CL.Vennells%40exeter.ac.uk%7C445abed8f94b4ba6da2408da1bb71d32%7C912a5d77fb984eeeaf321334d8f04a53%7C0%7C0%7C637852770636976664%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=Tw9B1gM5entZYHa6KbqdvdeEX9AuH%2FEIGScq95om2ZI%3D&amp;reserved=0">Christmas Bird Count</a>&nbsp;(National Audubon Society) and the&nbsp;<a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wetlands.org%2FIWC&amp;data=04%7C01%7CL.Vennells%40exeter.ac.uk%7C445abed8f94b4ba6da2408da1bb71d32%7C912a5d77fb984eeeaf321334d8f04a53%7C0%7C0%7C637852770636976664%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=h0atJZ2Y7OFILak8shjJKpC%2BPtnFAjzjnyZc6YtSm0o%3D&amp;reserved=0">International Waterbird Census</a>&nbsp;(Wetlands International).



“To slow biodiversity loss, we need a much better understanding of which conservation approaches work, and which don’t," said Professor Julia Jones. "This analysis gives really useful indications of how conservation can be improved to deliver better outcomes for species.”



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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

Protected areas must be managed to benefit biodiversity

This month, the UN Biodiversity Conference will convene governments from...

Each year on April 22, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/april-22-earth-day/">Earth Day</a> marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. Although this celebration and call for environmental action emerged in the United States, with the efforts of Senator Gaylord Nelson and environmental activist Denis Hayes to bring environmental awareness to the American public, in the 1990s it became a global phenomenon, mobilizing over 200 million people in 141 countries.&nbsp;



At the start of the new millennium, innovations in digital media provided a massive platform for millions of conversations across more than 180 countries. Now, Earth Day is widely recognized as the largest secular observance of the world, celebrated by over one billion people each year as a day of action to change human behaviors that negatively impact our planet and to create global, national, and local policy changes.



The theme of this year’s Earth Day is “Invest in Our Planet.” This global event is focused on accelerating solutions to combat climate change (a phenomenon considered by many scientists and activists as our greatest current threat) by engaging over one billion people, governments, institutions, and businesses to recognize our collective responsibility towards our planet, and to help accelerating the transition to a prosperous and equitable green economy worldwide.&nbsp;&nbsp;



According to the organizers of the event, investment in our planet should involve individuals, governments, businesses, and investors. Each small action of every individual citizen could end up having a strong impact on our environment. Yet, citizens should not only ask themselves what daily steps they need to take in order to protect our planet (for instance, to separate waste or drive electric cars), but also try to hold governments and businesses accountable for their actions.&nbsp;



At the same time, local and national government officials should incentivize their citizens, businesses, and institutions to innovate, in order to create a global economic system relying on green technologies that could curb climate change and thus protect our planet. Finally, it is imperative for businesses and investors to take action too, and embrace the benefits of a green, sustainable economy.



This year, two major initiatives aiming to increase sustainability and protect our planet are the Canopy Project and the Global Cleanup Project. Initiated in 2010, the <a href="https://www.earthday.org/campaign/the-canopy-project/">Canopy Project</a> has helped improving our shared environment by planting tens of millions of trees all over the world. Working with global partners to reforest areas in dire need of rehabilitation - including regions with communities highly at-risk from climate change and environmental degradation – as well as&nbsp; conducting massive tree planting in the wake of environmental disasters, <a href="https://www.earthday.org/">EARTHDAY.ORG</a> (EDO) has already managed to offer a glimmer of hope for the inhabitants of our increasingly precarious planet. Interested individuals and organizations could help plant a new tree by <a href="https://bit.ly/3uYzED7">donating</a> as little as $1.



Another important project that will be relaunched this year is the <a href="https://www.earthday.org/press-release/earthday-org-launches-the-great-global-cleanup-for-2022/">Great Global Cleanup</a>. This initiative aims to provide opportunities for individuals and organizations to tackle local mismanaged waste in order to make positive, tangible impacts on the environment. “From harming marine and human health, to clogging our waterways and littering communities, plastic pollution is threatening the survival of our shared planet. Cleanups are just one way individuals can get involved to combat this critical issue. For Earth Day 2022, ‘Invest in Our Planet’ means taking action and participating in community measures to help solve the issue of mismanaged waste,” explained Kathleen Rogers, the president of EDO.



This worldwide campaign aims to remove billions of pieces of trash from neighborhoods, rivers, lakes, beaches, trails, and parks. in order to reduce waste and plastic pollution and to prevent harm to both wildlife and humans. Through this program, daily cleanups will play a crucial role in paving the way towards a brighter, greener, and cleaner planet.



By further increasing climate literacy and attracting more contributors from each corner of the world, this year’s Earth Day promises to be a significant step further for building a sustainable future, and making our planet a safe habitat not only for us, humans, but also for a large number of frequently imperiled ecosystems.&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

Earth Day 2022: New investments in our planet urgently needed

Each year on April 22, Earth Day marks the anniversary...

Although an increasing body of scientific evidence is showing that time spent in nature (TSN) is associated with greater physical and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-heat-linked-to-mental-health-issues/">mental health</a>, most American adults spend little time in green or natural environments. In order to predict people’s probability of spending more time in nature, a new study led by the <a href="https://public-health.tamu.edu/">Texas A&amp;M University School of Public Health</a> has outlined two scales created to measure factors related to TSN.



According to the scientists, two strong predictors of health behaviors are self-efficacy and intentions. “Self-efficacy” was defined as “a person’s confidence in his or her ability to take action and to persist in that action despite obstacles or challenges pertaining to spending time in nature,” and “intention”&nbsp;as “planning to engage in certain nature-related behaviors over the next three months.” After defining these terms, the researchers created a survey aiming to measure them, and administered it to a nationwide sample of over 2,000 respondents.



The survey results revealed that spending more time in nature correlates with both self-efficacy and intention, suggesting that future public health interventions to improve TSN should have increasing confidence to spend time in nature as a major goal.&nbsp;



Both self-efficacy and intention were negatively correlated with age, indicating a decrease in confidence in older adults, which could be related to mobility or safety concerns that generally increase with age. Male participants shown higher self-efficacy than female respondents, a finding that was confirmed by previous research showing that women are less likely to participate in recreational activities in natural environments.



The development of these scales is a first step in what the scientists hope will be a series of studies aiming to find ways of improving physical and mental health through increased TSN. “We’re working on developing a whole suite of measures,” said study lead author Jay Maddock, an expert in social-ecological approaches to increase physical activity at Texas A&amp;M. “Once those are done, we’re going to be looking to develop theory-based interventions to increase time spent in nature.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s40359-022-00764-1">BMC Psychology</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

Spending time in nature improves physical and mental health

Although an increasing body of scientific evidence is showing that...

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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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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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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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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