Most people worry about the gradual loss of stamina, strength, and mental sharpness that comes with aging. Scientists have been exploring new ideas to tackle these concerns and increase not just our years but also our quality of life. 



An international team has been testing a special approach that raises levels of a natural protein in the body.



Their research was led by Professor Miguel Chillón at the Institute of Neurosciences of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (<a href="https://web.ub.edu/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UB</a>), and it shines a light on what might someday help people stay healthier for a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/organ-aging-can-predict-diseases-decades-in-advance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">longer period</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protein-s-kl-and-its-role-in-aging">Protein s-KL and its role in aging</h2>



The protein at the center of this work is <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41581-018-0078-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Klotho</a>, and the form used in the experiments is the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26599613/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">secreted version</a> known as s-KL. 



Some studies suggest that Klotho may influence a wide range of biological processes by managing signals that affect inflammation and cell aging.



The name Klotho first appeared in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/36285" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">scientific journals</a> in the late 1990s, when experiments showed that a deficiency of this protein made mice look older and more frail at younger ages.



"We have been working with the Klotho protein for some time, due to its therapeutic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-old-are-you-really-new-tool-measures-aging-from-the-inside-out/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">potential</a> for treating neurodegenerative diseases. 



In this study, we wanted to see whether s-KL could also be beneficial for healthy aging by examining a broad range of factors," explained Professor Chillón.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-differences-between-males-and-females">Differences between males and females</h2>



The effects of s-KL weren’t the same for male and female mice. Males showed clearer gains in lifespan and muscle strength, while females responded more strongly in measures of bone structure, especially when treated earlier in life.



These sex-based differences might be tied to how male and female bodies process viral vectors or express the s-KL protein. 



Hormonal factors could also play a role, suggesting future human trials may need sex-specific <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/curiosity-might-help-you-stay-sharp-as-you-age/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">strategies</a> to get the best results.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-aging-improvements-with-s-kl-protein">Aging improvements with s-KL protein</h2>



Researchers noticed that mice given s-KL retained better muscle tissue composition, with less of the scarring often linked to older age. They also had stronger performance in tasks that tested endurance and coordination.



Weakened bones can be a big danger in older adults, so it was intriguing that s-KL seemed to keep the inner bone structure more intact. 



This finding aligns with earlier <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16436465/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">observations</a> that Klotho influences mineral balance in bone and may reduce the chances of fractures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-timing-may-matter">Why timing may matter</h2>



Mice treated at 12 months old showed more pronounced improvements in longevity and physical health than those treated at 6 months. One reason could be that the aging mice produced higher levels of the s-KL protein after treatment, which may have amplified its <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-bodies-begin-breaking-down-two-very-precise-ages/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">effects</a>.



This finding raises an important question: Could middle age be a better window for intervention than early adulthood? If so, the timing of s-KL therapy in humans could be just as critical as the treatment itself.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-signs-of-brain-support">Signs of brain support</h2>



Aside from the physical improvements, the investigators measured changes in the hippocampus, a region crucial for memory and cognitive ability. 



They detected heightened markers of <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4563705/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">adult neurogenesis</a>, which is the process by which new neurons form in mature brains.



There was also evidence that key immune cells in the brain might be working in a more balanced way. This could help remove cellular waste and reduce the chronic inflammation tied to age-related brain diseases.



The researchers used gene therapy vectors that prompted cells to produce s-KL over an extended period. These vectors included genetic instructions, and once inside the mice, the cells took over production of the protein.



The approach was designed to boost s-KL levels in both the brain and other areas of the body. This helped ensure that many of the organs linked to muscle, bone, and memory got the extra support.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-s-kl-protein-and-human-aging">s-KL protein and human aging?</h2>



Although this study was done in mice, the results open the door to potential <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/defying-time-three-ways-to-slow-biological-aging/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">therapies</a> for humans. 



Age-related decline in mobility, memory, and bone strength all contribute to lower independence and quality of life in older adults. A treatment that addresses these together could shift how we think about aging.



Many current drugs only target one issue at a time, like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/outdoor-exercise-amplifies-physical-and-mental-health-benefits/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">osteoporosis</a> or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/your-sleep-may-predict-memory-loss-years-in-advance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">memory loss</a>. But the effects of s-KL span across systems. 



This points toward the possibility of a more unified strategy to aging - one that works with the body’s existing repair mechanisms rather than replacing them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-next-for-s-kl-protein-research">What’s next for s-KL protein research?</h2>



If we can find a viable delivery method, s-KL could make a significant contribution to improving people’s quality of life and helping to build the healthiest society possible.



Scientists continue to explore whether direct protein administration or refined gene-based aging options might work best for humans. They plan to keep studying how s-KL weaves into different biological pathways.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/molecular-therapy-family/molecular-therapy/fulltext/S1525-0016(25)00120-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Molecular Therapy</a>.



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Protein discovered that boosts lifespan, muscle, and brain power with just one dose

Most people worry about the gradual loss of stamina, strength, and mental sharpness that comes with aging. Scientists have been exploring new ideas to tackle these concerns and increase not just our years but also our quality of life. An international team has been testing a special approach that raises levels of a natural protein in the body. Their research was led by Professor Miguel Chillón at the Institute of Neurosciences of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UB), and it shines a light on what might someday...

Commercial deep sea mining is scheduled to begin within two years, but scientists warn that this type of mining is unnecessary and even dangerous.  

A new study led by scientists at the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> calls into question why deep seabed mining should proceed when it’s such an unpredictable risk to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mysterious-circling-behavior-discovered-among-marine-mammals/">marine</a> health. 

As of now, deep sea mining is allowed in the exclusive economic zones of coastal nations. Meanwhile, the International Seabed Authority (ISA) is drawing up new regulations for deep sea mining outside of these areas. 

With pressure mounting from the Pacific island of Nauru and The Metals Company, the ISA has two years to finish its regulations. If they are not finished within this time period, mining can begin with no regulations in place. Dr. Kirsten Thompson of the University of Exeter explains the conundrum that seabed mining presents.

"Seabed mining is sometimes presented as an unavoidable consequence of ever-growing demand for minerals, especially to supply certain metals for the green technology transition," said Dr. Thompson.  

"This narrative is put forward by mining companies, who also present deep-sea mining as the ‘lesser of two evils’ in comparison to land-based mining, but it’s impossible to compare the inherent value of land and deep-sea ecosystems. If you're asking 'which destructive industry is better?' then you're asking the wrong question."

The scientists emphasize that better engineering and efficiency are of utmost importance and that it’s simply a "myth" that deep sea mining is necessary. 

"Current estimates of mineral requirements for renewable technology don't fully account for important factors such as technological advances in battery technology, better public transport and behaviour changes such as people taking fewer journeys by car,” said Dr. Kevin Brigden, a metals chemist with Greenpeace Research Laboratories.

There’s also an enormous amount that we do not know about deep sea ecosystems, their role in carbon storage, their biodiversity, or how they could be threatened by mining. The researchers point out that mining is likely to benefit only a handful of mining companies in the world’s richest nations - while threatening the entire world. 

The University of Exeter has launched a "Green Futures" campaign and website to drive action on the environment and climate emergency. To find out more, please visit <a href="https://greenfutures.exeter.ac.uk">https://greenfutures.exeter.ac.uk</a>.

---

By <a href="http://zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Dangers of deep sea mining could soon be realized

Commercial deep sea mining is scheduled to begin within two...

Over the last six decades, invasive species have racked up $389.59 billion (US$298.58 billion) in costs for the Australian economy, according to researchers at <a href="https://www.flinders.edu.au/">Flinders University</a>. The study authors say that without better investments, reporting, and coordinated interventions, the price of invasive pests will only get worse.

Costs associated with the management of invasive plants were totaled at US$151.68 billion. The experts found that the costliest plants are ryegrass (Lolium rigidum), parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorus), and ragwort (Senecio jacobaea).

Invasive mammals imposed US$48.63 billion in costs, while insects racked up $11.95 billion. The study revealed that feral cats are the single-most costly individual species, followed by European rabbits and red imported fire ants.

The researchers analyzed data from InvaCost, a database developed to provide the most comprehensive compilation of invasion costs globally. 

The team also looked at how much each state or territory had spent tackling invasive species. New South Wales, Western Australia, and Victoria had the highest costs.

The research was led by Professor Corey Bradshaw from Flinders University and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage.

“This is the most detailed analysis to date,” said Professor Bradshaw. “Australia has a long history of invasive species, and their impact is far-reaching, not only for our native animals and the environment but across our agricultural and health sectors as well.”

Study co-author Dr Andrew Hoskins of <a href="https://www.csiro.au/en/">CSIRO</a> said it was important to understand the full breadth of the problem, to help prioritize future research and inform policy decisions.

“We captured species not previously detailed in any other nation-wide study of the economic burden of invasives, providing us with the most up-to-date picture of the cost of such species to our country," said Dr. Hoskins.

“This research shows that invasive species are causing serious and growing harm to our ecological, agricultural, and economic systems."

According to Professor Bradshaw, the large and ever-increasing costs of invasive species to Australia’s economy are substantial and also likely to be underestimated.

“We can reasonably assume that without better investment and coordinated interventions, including animal culls, Australia will continue to lose billions of dollars on invasive species over the coming decades.”

“And we aren’t just losing money, for there are many other types of economically intangible costs arising from invasive species that we have yet to measure adequately across Australia, such as the true extent of ecological damage, loss of cultural values and the erosion of ecosystem services, that is the many human benefits we draw from the environment, such as food and water.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://neobiota.pensoft.net/">NeoBiota</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Invasive species have racked up $390 billion bill in Australia

Over the last six decades, invasive species have racked up...

In an effort to anticipate the future impacts of climate change, experts at <a href="https://www.asu.edu/">Arizona State University</a> are trying to gain a better understanding of extreme climate changes that occurred in the past. 

The researchers are describing abrupt climate changes, what led up to these “tipping points,” and the consequences that followed.

“We've been putting a lot of chemicals into the atmosphere and changing the heat of the atmosphere for a long time, and really intensively for 150 years,” said study co-author C. Michael Barton. 

“And, things are still chugging along. Temperatures are slowly going up globally, but we haven’t seen a huge, dramatic shift. However, complex systems are potentially vulnerable if you push too much.”

Barton studies the water cycle and other complex Earth systems, and looks at how drastically they have been altered by humans. 

“People tend to look at how far you can push things before suddenly everything changes. And that's what's considered the tipping point.”

Earth’s major systems include the hydrosphere (water), the atmosphere (air) and the cryosphere (ice). All of these systems are interconnected. 

The researchers focused their attention on tipping points across the history of these systems. They wanted to quantify small changes that can lead up to an abrupt, massive change, while also measuring how one abrupt change can trigger abrupt changes in other systems.

To understand what the planet was like hundreds of thousands of years ago, Earth system modelers turn to the prehistoric record that is available to them. This study, in particular, was focused on sediment cores from the Gulf of Alaska, dust records from North Africa, and ice cores from Greenland.

Scientists can also obtain prehistoric data from the ocean floor to measure changes in composition, circulation patterns, and influxes of fresh water from melting ice sheets.

The study authors point to past instances of extreme climate events that happened so quickly that humans either had difficulty adapting, or were not able to adapt.

For example, Europe experienced a period of abrupt cooling about 1,500 years ago, leading to major changes in vegetation. The researchers note that this cooling may have been caused by a natural phenomenon, such as volcanic activity. The changes were so extreme that people experienced famine and societal reorganization. 

According to the study authors, climate events that occurred centuries ago triggered drastic changes or even collapse in ancient civilizations due to unforeseen societal vulnerabilities.

In the ancient city Angkor, humans altered the natural water cycle by diverting water to grow crops. As the city grew, the water system became too strained and reached a tipping point. Ultimately, the city of Angkor collapsed.

In Arizona, the last few years have been hotter and drier than usual. Barton said it’s not yet clear whether we have passed a tipping point in the Southwest region of the country.

While fluctuations in precipitation and temperature occur naturally from year to year, looking at the ancient climate makes Barton wonder if the drier weather patterns have become the new normal for our lifetime.

Barton also noted that researchers still don’t know why some weather systems change. For example, past monsoon rains have shifted without warning and for unknown reasons. This can be catastrophic for people who depend on the monsoon season.

The researchers are calling for new Earth system models to simulate future abrupt changes, and for more research on the interactions between environmental systems and human societies during past climate change events.

The study authors hope this paper raises awareness of the field, and that more people will understand how analyzing the long-term past could help us in the near future.

One component of tipping points research is identifying early warning signals - smaller fluctuations in a system before an abrupt change. 

“All the components can change really, really fast,” said Barton. “The whole system can drop into a different state. How do we know when we're getting too close?”

The researchers say these warning signals exist, but when the entire world is the focus, it can be challenging to trace how small changes in one system can warn of an abrupt change in another.

“As humans, we try to anticipate the future," wrote the researchers. "We are now well aware that complex systems, including the coupled social and ecological systems that now dominate our planet, can undergo abrupt changes. If we cannot model abrupt change in the past, we cannot hope to predict them in the future.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ngeo/">Nature Geoscience</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How much further can we push Earth before everything changes?

In an effort to anticipate the future impacts of climate...

The European Common Blue butterfly, Polyommatus icarus, was first recorded in Montreal, Québec in 2005. This species prefers to live in urban areas and its caterpillars depend on a host <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tomato-fruit-warns-the-rest-of-the-plant-when-attacked/">plant</a> that is widespread throughout Canada. Given these circumstances, researchers at the <a href="https://www.uottawa.ca/en">University of Ottawa</a> felt it would be important to study the ecology of the blue butterflies.

The research began in 2017, at a time when the Canadian distribution of European Common Blues was restricted to southwestern Québec. The scientists were able to document the early colonization and spread of the newly-introduced species, providing insights into the process of invasion.

"The rate that animal and plant species are being introduced beyond their home ranges is increasing globally, but only a few of these species will become invasive – which means they are widespread, abundant, and have negative effects on ecological communities," explained study first author and PhD student Stephanie Rivest. 

"That's why it's so important for newly introduced species to be studied, like we did here, so that we can better understand and predict which introduced species are likely to become invasive."

The researchers found that the preferred food plant for P. icarus caterpillars is the bird’s-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), which occurs throughout Canada. This means that there is the potential for these beautiful, blue-winged butterflies to invade the entire country as well. 

Apart from studying the ecology of European Common Blues, the researchers also marked over 4,500 individuals in order to monitor their movements, and measured the flight ability of P. icarus adults.

The team’s results show that the introduced species can reach very high densities compared to those of native butterflies. Although the blue butterflies are not the most competent fliers, they are able to disperse successfully. Observations entered by citizen scientists onto websites such as eButterfly and iNaturalist confirm that the species has spread at least as far as Toronto, over 400 km away from the study area.

"Building on our initial assessment of P. icarus, we need future studies to model the predicted trajectory of range expansion and to investigate other potentially important factors," said Dr. Heather Kharouba, the head of the lab where the research was conducted.

The study is published in the <a href="https://cdnsciencepub.com/loi/cjz">Canadian Journal of Zoology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Blue butterflies are set to become widespread across Canada

The European Common Blue butterfly, Polyommatus icarus, was first recorded...

It has long been assumed that THC in hemp can increase due to environmental stress on the plant. But now, a new study from <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a> points to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-gut-microbiome-is-strongly-shaped-by-genetics/">genetics</a> as the cause for greater or lesser THC production. 

The research has very real world consequences. Government regulators closely monitor levels of THC in hemp. If plants contain 0.3% THC or less, they’re classified as hemp, if they contain more, they’re said to test “hot.” When plants test hot, farmers can lose entire crops.  

“One of our goals in our research and in fulfilling our extension mission is to reduce the risks to growers as much as possible," explained study senior author Larry Smart.

"With this research, growers should feel some comfort that stresses do not seem to have a strong effect on changing the ratio of CBD to THC.”

To test whether or not environmental stress caused an increase in THC, researchers created five test plots of hemp. The plants were each exposed to a different stressor, such as physical damage, flooding, powdery mildew, or an herbicide. 

The plants were then tested for THC levels throughout a four week trial period as their flowers matured. 

“What we found over the weeks that we were sampling, the amounts of CBD and THC went up proportionately in all of these different cultivars for all of these different stresses," said study lead author Jacob Toth.

The study further proves that genetics, rather than environment, determine the THC content and CBD to THC ratios in hemp, said Smart.

According to the experts, further research is now needed to discover the specific genetic components that make up plants with low and high THC content. This could lead to methods of regulatory testing earlier in a plant’s life, before it actually reaches a high level of THC content.  

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcbb.12880">GCB Bioenergy</a>.

---

By <a href="http://zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Genetics, not environmental stress, increases THC in hemp

It has long been assumed that THC in hemp can...

An ambitious plan is underway to rediscover species that are lost to science and possibly extinct. <a href="http://www.rewild.org/">NGO Re:Wild</a> has started a campaign to find 25 species on its “Most Wanted Lost Species” list. In their latest discovery, the scientists have reconnected with a lost <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/strong-ocean-currents-push-red-crabs-far-out-of-their-range/">crab</a> in Sierra Leone. 

So far, the organization has also found the Jackson’s climbing salamander in Guatemala, Wallace’s giant bee &amp; velvet pitcher plant in Indonesia, the silver-backed chevrotain in Vietnam, the Somali Sengi in Djibouti, Voeltzkow’s chameleon in Madagascar, and the Fernandina giant tortoise in the Galápagos. 

Dr. Pierre A. Mvogo Ndongo, a researcher at the University of Douala in Cameroon, set out on an expedition to Sierra Leone earlier this year. The goal of the trip was to look for the Sierra Leone crab, which had not been spotted since 1955. In just three weeks of surveying, Dr. Ndongo found the missing crab. 

The researchers also found another freshwater crab, Afzelius’ crab, which had been missing from the scientific record since 1796. To top it off, the team discovered two crabs that are brand new to science. 

Dr. Ndongo explains that the expedition was demanding, but he was determined to succeed. Before setting out to find the Afzelius’ crab, he talked with locals and described a land dwelling crab with a purplish body and orange legs. 

After following up on some false leads, Dr. Ndongo eventually located the crab, which led to concerns for the future of the species. The forest where the crab was found is largely intact, but agriculture is starting to encroach on the edges. 

To find the Sierra Leone crab, Dr. Ndongo searched Sugar Loaf Mountain, racing against the clock as impending COVID-19 lockdowns threatened to strand him. 

“In the four days searching the dense forests on Sugar Loaf Mountain, I was able to find six specimens of the Sierra Leone crab because I was able to recruit local people to go into the forest and search with me. When I found the Sierra Leone crab, I was very very happy. This was after almost three weeks of searching for lost species.”

After grueling searching and carefully digging crabs from their burrows without harming them, conservationists finally have the tools they need to protect these crustaceans, so, hopefully they won’t go missing again. 

---

By <a href="http://zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Lost crab species rediscovered in Sierra Leone

An ambitious plan is underway to rediscover species that are...

Adding colorful foods to your <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gray-wolves-survived-the-ice-age-by-changing-their-diet/">diet</a> may significantly lower your risk of cognitive decline, according to a new study published by the <a href="https://www.aan.com/">American Academy of Neurology</a>. 

The research suggests that eating at least half a serving per day of strawberries, oranges, peppers - and other foods high in flavonoids - can reduce the risk of cognitive decline by as much as 38 percent.

Flavonoids are naturally occurring compounds in plants that are considered powerful antioxidants. The researchers looked at several types of flavonoids, and determined that flavones and anthocyanins may offer the greatest protection against cognitive decline.

"There is mounting evidence suggesting flavonoids are powerhouses when it comes to preventing your thinking skills from declining as you get older," explained study lead author Dr. Walter Willett of Harvard University. 

"Our results are exciting because they show that making simple changes to your diet could help prevent cognitive decline."

The analysis was focused on nearly 50,000 women with an average age of 48 and nearly 28,000 men with an average age of 51 at the start of the study. The individuals reported on their diet for 20 years.

The study participants also evaluated their own cognitive abilities over the course of the study, answering questions that indicated whether their memory had worsened enough for them to notice. 

The people that represented the highest 20 percent of flavonoid consumers had about 600 milligrams in their diets each day. Per 100 gram serving, strawberries have about 180 mg of flavonoids, while apples have about 113 mg.

According to the study, the flavones found in some spices and yellow or orange fruits and vegetables had the strongest protective effects. This particular class of flavonoids corresponded with a 38 percent lower risk of cognitive decline. 

Anthocyanins - found in blueberries, blackberries, and cherries - were associated with a 24 percent reduced risk of cognitive decline. 

"The people in our study who did the best over time ate an average of at least half a serving per day of foods like orange juice, oranges, peppers, celery, grapefruits, grapefruit juice, apples and pears," said Dr. Willett. 

"While it is possible other phytochemicals are at work here, a colorful diet rich in flavonoids - and specifically flavones and anthocyanins - seems to be a good bet for promoting long-term brain health." 

"And it's never too late to start, because we saw those protective relationships whether people were consuming the flavonoids in their diet 20 years ago, or if they started incorporating them more recently."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://n.neurology.org/">Neurology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Colorful foods help prevent cognitive decline

Adding colorful foods to your diet may significantly lower your...

New data from several groups of researchers warns that the number of people with dementia will triple by 2050, and that it will occur in younger and younger individuals. The causes? Demographics and unhealthy lifestyles. 

The different forecasts, reported at the recent <a href="https://www.alz.org/aaic">Alzheimer's Association International Conference</a> in Denver, are intended to warn policymakers and healthcare professionals.

"Improvements in lifestyle in adults in developed countries and other places -l- including increasing access to education and greater attention to heart health issues - have reduced incidence in recent years, but total numbers with dementia are still going up because of the aging of the population," said Dr. Maria C. Carillo, the <a href="https://www.alz.org/">Alzheimer’s Association</a> chief science officer.

The U.S. National Institute on Aging reports that by 2050, people over the age of 65 will make up twice the proportion of the world’s population compared to 2010 - a jump from 8 percent to 16 percent. 

Aging isn’t the only factor, however. Dr. Carillo also lists “obesity, diabetes and sedentary lifestyles in younger people are rising quickly, and these are risk factors for dementia." 

Lifestyle choices can have a big impact early on. Researchers from Maastricht University in the Netherlands, who presented their data at the conference, noted that 350,000 people are diagnosed with younger-onset dementia every year.

Changing demographics and socioeconomic status also appear to be direct indicators of an individual’s risk of dementia. Dr. Ambar Kulshreshtha and other researchers at Emory University found that Alzheimer’s mortality rates were highest in rural areas, and of those rural areas those in the American South were highest. 

“In addition to therapeutics, it's critical to uncover culturally-tailored interventions that reduce dementia risk through lifestyle factors like education, diet and exercise," said Dr. Carillo.

 Kristen Clifford, who is the chief program officer at the Alzheimer’s Association, assures people that support and information are available. "And you have the power to make a new plan and determine how you choose to live your best life with the disease."

---

By <a href="http://rugerpaleo@gmail.com">Alex Ruger</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Dementia cases expected to triple over the next three decades

New data from several groups of researchers warns that the...

As global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/clouds-have-an-amplifying-effect-on-global-warming/">warming</a> occurs and the climate starts to shift, researchers warn not to expect all of the same changes everywhere. A new study from the <a href="https://english.cas.cn/">Chinese Academy of Sciences</a> predicts that places which are already wet will generally receive more rainfall and more varied precipitation.

"As climate warms, climatologically wet regions will generally get wetter and dry regions get drier. Such a global pattern of mean rainfall change is often described as 'wet-get-wetter'. By analogy, the global pattern of rainfall variability change features a 'wet-get-more variable' paradigm,"explained study co-author Zhou Tianjun. 

Overall, this means that Earth environments are set to become more different from each other than they already are, as the planet becomes a more variable place. 

"The amplified rainfall variability manifests the fact that global warming is making our climate more uneven - more extreme in both wet and dry conditions, with wider and probably more rapid transitions between them," said study lead author Zhang Wenxia. 

These wild differences between different environments, as well as less predictable rainfall, will be very challenging for both human infrastructure and survival as well as for ecosystems everywhere. 

Study co-author Kalli Furtado hopes that having this information in hand will help future planning efforts but also acknowledges the hardships predicted, 

"This classification of different precipitation change regimes is valuable for regional adaptation planning," said Furtado.

"For most regions, the increasing rainfall variability, which could translate into impacts on crop yields and river flows, makes climate change adaptation more difficult."

As with so many things with climate change, we are not locked into any single future scenario. Humans still have time to try and mitigate climate change, and to plan for the realities that are ahead. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>.

---

By <a href="http://zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Rainfall will become harder to predict with climate change

As global warming occurs and the climate starts to shift,...

Some <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bumblebees-are-attracted-to-the-humidity-of-flowers/">flowers</a> are caffeinated, and previous research has shown that bees seem to enjoy a little caffeine when sipping nectar. Now, in a new study published by <a href="https://www.cell.com/">Cell Press</a>, scientists have found that caffeine gives bumble bees a memory boost and helps them locate specific flowers. 

"When you give bees caffeine, they don't do anything like fly in loops, but do seem to be more motivated and more efficient," said Dr. Sarah Arnold of the University of Greenwich. 

"We wanted to see if providing caffeine would help their brains create a positive association between a certain flower odor and a sugar reward."

Bumble bees actually have relatively poor vision, so finding the appropriate flowers to collect nectar from can be quite challenging for the insects. This means flowers have to use lots of signaling to attract bees. 

Caffeinated flowers are attractive to bees, but the scientists wanted to determine something else - does caffeine actually help bees remember certain flowers? Instead of giving caffeine to bees at flowers, the scientists gave bees caffeine at their nest to see if they remembered an association between the stimulant and other cues. 

While giving the bees caffeine, the researchers also released an odor reminiscent of strawberry flowers and gave the insects sugar solution. 

&nbsp;

When the bees were then released, they were rewarded by a decaf sugar solution when attracted to flowers with a strawberry like smell. The results showed that the bees preferred flowers that smelled of strawberries, for a short time. This did not come as a surprise to the researchers.

"This is something we could have anticipated, because the bees got sugar no matter if they visited the target flower or the distractor flower," said Dr. Arnold. "In some ways, they were unlearning just as fast as they were learning."

The researchers point out that this research could potentially be used for more targeted pollination. Strawberry farmers could program bees to prefer pollinating their strawberry plants. 

The study is published in the July 28 issue of <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Caffeine helps bumble bees find flowers

Some flowers are caffeinated, and previous research has shown that...

Dengue fever is a potentially lethal disease of humans that is caused by a virus transmitted in the saliva of certain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mosquitoes-could-become-active-year-round/">mosquitoes</a>. Recent studies led by <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Penn State</a> researchers have found that mosquitoes of the species Aedes aegypti that are infected with dengue virus are less tolerant of the higher temperatures associated with global warming. 

There is currently no cure for dengue fever in humans, and the disease kills around 40,000 people each year. In addition, Ae. aegypti mosquitoes are vectors of other human viral diseases, such as Zika, chikungunya and yellow fever.   

"Aided by increasing urbanization and climate change, this mosquito's range is expected to overlap with 50% of the world's population by 2050, dramatically increasing the number of people who could potentially be exposed to these viruses," said Professor Elizabeth McGraw.

In the past, scientists have tried to combat the spread of dengue virus by infecting Ae. aegypti mosquitoes with a biological control agent in the form of the bacterium Wolbachia pipientis. This microbe prevents viruses from multiplying inside the mosquito’s body. The infected mosquitoes are then released into the environment but cannot transmit dengue virus to humans. 

The heat sensitivity of dengue and Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes was tested by placing the insects into sealed vials which were then immersed in a hot water bath at 42oC. The researchers recorded how quickly the mosquitoes became immobilized on their backs and compared this with rates of death in uninfected control mosquitoes. 

The results showed that mosquitoes infected with dengue virus died three times more quickly than the controls. Mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia died at four times the rate of control mosquitoes, indicating that both pathogens, although not toxic to the hosts, caused some sort of immune stress response in the mosquitoes.

"You might expect that mosquitoes infected with both dengue virus and Wolbachia might become immobilized even faster than mosquitoes infected with only one or the other microbe, but we did not find an additive effect," said study lead author Fhallon Ware-Gilmore.

"We are, however, the first to show that viral infection can affect mosquito thermal tolerance, specifically by reducing mosquito survival during exposure to high heat. And, while there are some known interactions between heat and Wolbachia, particularly in immature stages, this is also the first study to show that adult infected-mosquitoes have reduced survival during heat stress."

According to Ware-Gilmore, the lack of mosquito thermal tolerance could help reduce transmission and potentially human disease incidence in hotter climate regions.

This is particularly relevant as the effects of global warming are felt throughout the world. However, these results also suggest that Wolbachia will no longer be a useful tool of biological control in the fight against the spread of dengue fever, given that it also increases the heat sensitivity of infected mosquitoes. 

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/">PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases</a>.

---

By <a href="http://bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Global warming may slow the spread of dengue fever

Dengue fever is a potentially lethal disease of humans that...

Part of California’s plan to reach carbon neutrality by 2045 relies on natural ecosystems to absorb carbon. But now, new research from <a href="https://uci.edu/">UC Irvine</a> warns that climate change itself may hamper the ability of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/satellite-data-reveals-vulnerable-tropical-forests-on-a-global-scale/">forests</a> and shrublands to take up carbon. 

The study, published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/2576604x">AGU Advances</a>, predicts that natural carbon storage in California will drop by 9 to 16 percent under varying scenarios. 

“This work highlights the conundrum that climate change poses to the state of California," said study lead author Shane Coffield.

"We need our forests and other plant-covered areas to provide a 'natural climate solution' of removing carbon dioxide from the air, but heat and drought caused by the very problem we're trying to solve could make it more difficult to achieve our objectives."

Despite an aggressive plan involving both artificial means of carbon sequestration and natural carbon sequestration by plants, it seems California may need to work even harder on emissions reduction to reach its carbon neutrality goal. 

"The emissions scenario that we follow will have a large effect on the carbon storage potential of our forests," said study co-author James Randerson.

"A more moderate emissions scenario in which we convert to more renewable energy sources leads to about half of the ecosystem carbon [sequestration] loss compared to a more extreme emissions scenario."

Unfortunately, climate models are not in agreement about the amount of precipitation in California’s future. However, the places most likely to lose carbon sequestration abilities are also some of the areas with large carbon offset projects. 

Overall, it seems the northern part of the state will become wetter, while the southern part becomes drier. Randerson says he hopes the research will be useful for planning.

"We hope that this work will inform land management and climate policies so that steps can be taken to protect existing carbon stocks and tree species in the most climate-vulnerable locations. Effective management of fire risk is essential for limiting carbon [sequestration] losses throughout much of the state."

---
By <a href="http://zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Reaching carbon neutrality will not be easy in California

Part of California’s plan to reach carbon neutrality by 2045...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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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

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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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