Cosmic,Cliffs,In,The,Carina,Nebula.,James,Webb,Space,Telescope.

A famous James Webb Space Telescope portrait has recently gained a fresh dimension. Scientists have transformed the “Cosmic Cliffs” image, first revealed in July 2022, into a sweeping three‑dimensional fly‑through that lets audiences dive into a glittering nursery of stars.



The new visualization comes from <a href="https://www.universe-of-learning.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA’s Universe of Learning</a> program and premieres today during a centennial celebration of the first public planetarium, held by the <a href="https://www.ips-planetarium.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">International Planetarium Society</a> in Munich.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3d-view-of-star-nursery">3D view of star nursery</h2>



The source photograph shows a jagged wall of gas and dust that looks like mountains lit by starlight. In reality, this cliff is a section of the nebula Gum 31 inside the sprawling Carina Nebula Complex.



At its top, unseen in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/firefly-sparkle-webb-telescope-weighs-a-galaxy-for-the-first-time/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Webb</a> frame, sits the young star cluster NGC 3324. The cluster’s ultraviolet glare and fierce stellar winds have hollowed out a vast cavity in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/six-rogue-worlds-discovered-inside-a-young-star-forming-nebula/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nebula</a>. The Cosmic Cliffs mark one edge of that bubble.



Webb’s near‑infrared eyes caught the cliff as wisps of blue and gold, speckled with points of baby stars. The new 3D tour adds depth cues so viewers can sense soaring peaks and plunging valleys. 



Streams of heated gas flow upward like mist across the ridge. Bright yellow arcs trace jets erupting from infant suns as they burrow through the cloud.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-star-science-becomes-visual-art">Star science becomes visual art</h2>



“Bringing this amazing Webb image to life helps the public to comprehend the three‑dimensional structure inherent in the 2D image, and to develop a better mental model of the universe,” said <a href="https://www.stsci.edu/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Space Telescope Science Institute</a> (STScI) visualization scientist Frank Summers, who heads the <a href="https://universe-of-learning.org/resources/projects/astroviz" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AstroViz Project</a> that crafted the sequence.



The piece forms part of a longer narrated video created by the STScI with partners at <a href="https://www.ipac.caltech.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Caltech/IPAC</a>.



Designed for planetariums, museums, and classrooms, the production links the epic scene to the tools and methods astronomers use to study <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-molecule-detected-in-space-where-stars-are-born/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stellar birth</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-century-of-planetarium-storytelling">Century of planetarium storytelling</h2>



The Munich event that hosts the debut honors one hundred years since the first public planetarium opened in the same city. 



Today almost two hundred U.S. sites run <a href="https://viewspace.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ViewSpace</a>, a free video exhibit from NASA’s Universe of Learning.



The Cosmic Cliffs fly‑through will join that platform along with an online resource page dedicated to the Carina Nebula Complex. 



Interactive tools let visitors zoom into telescope images and compare wavelengths, bringing space science into local communities far from observatory domes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-star-birth-inside-the-cosmic-cliffs">Star birth inside the cosmic cliffs</h2>



Gum 31, formed of hydrogen, helium, and cosmic dust, sits about 7,600 light‑years away in the southern <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-carina-nebula-like-weve-never-seen-it-before/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">constellation Carina</a>. Within it, the stars of NGC 3324 are only a few million years old.



Their radiation blasts the surrounding cloud, carving the void above the cliffs. Where gas is denser, pillars endure. 



At their tips, gravity squeezes material until new stars ignite. Webb’s infrared sensitivity reveals these hidden embryos, blanketed in cooler dust that once made them invisible to optical telescopes.



The visualization translates scientific data into a sculpted digital mesh. Color layers from Webb’s detectors wrap the mesh, while particle systems simulate drifting gas.



To keep the rendering faithful, artists consulted astrophysicists about distances, densities, and light scattering. The result is not a literal map but a guided impression that honors the physics behind the picture.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-webb-changes-cosmic-understanding">Webb changes cosmic understanding</h2>



NASA’s Universe of Learning draws on missions such as Webb, Hubble, Chandra, Spitzer, and others. 



The program blends expert interviews, data sonifications, and visual effects to answer core questions: how do stars form, how do galaxies evolve, what lies beyond our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/spiral-structure-discovered-at-the-edge-of-our-solar-system-oort-cloud/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">solar system</a>.



It belongs to <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/learn/about-science-activation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA’s Science Activation network</a>, which links scientists with educators to “activate minds” through authentic content.



The James Webb Space Telescope continues to redefine what we know about the cosmos. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://youtu.be/dEnHVL0FjhI" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/cosmic-cliffs_carina-nebula_webb-space-telescope_1s.webp" alt="The landscape of “mountains” and “valleys” known as the Cosmic Cliffs is actually a portion of the nebula Gum 31, which contains a young star cluster called NGC 3324. Both Gum 31 and NGC 3324 are part of a vast star-forming region known as the Carina Nebula Complex. Credits: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI" class="wp-image-1969298"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The landscape of “mountains” and “valleys” known as the Cosmic Cliffs is actually a portion of the nebula Gum 31, which contains a young star cluster called NGC 3324. Both Gum 31 and NGC 3324 are part of a vast star-forming region known as the Carina Nebula Complex. Click image to watch 3D video. Credits: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI</figcaption></figure>



Since launch in late 2021, it has probed the atmospheres of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exoplanet-discovery-nasa-identifies-over-5500-distant-worlds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">exoplanets</a>, spotted some of the earliest galaxies, and detailed the architecture of star‑forming regions.



The Cosmic Cliffs image was part of Webb’s first public showcase and quickly became an icon. Converting that single frame into a flight experience deepens public engagement and underscores Webb’s power to reveal structures hidden by dust.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-webb-visuals-planned">Future Webb visuals planned</h2>



The AstroViz team plans similar 3D treatments for other Webb highlights, each tailored to different learning settings. 



As tools evolve, future versions may let viewers steer their own path through nebulae using virtual‑reality headsets.



For now the new sequence will roll out to planetariums worldwide, inviting audiences to soar above a stellar cliff face, watch hot gas billow skyward, and glimpse newborn suns firing jets into the dark.



Webb’s images already inspire awe. With depth added, they can also nurture intuition about scale and process, turning distant astrophysical drama into an immersive story that anyone can feel as well as see.



<a href="https://youtu.be/dEnHVL0FjhI" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Click here to watch the full 3D video of the "Cosmic Cliffs" by JWST...</a>



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Webb's iconic 'Cosmic Cliffs' image transformed into stunning 3D video tour of a star nursery

A famous James Webb Space Telescope portrait has recently gained a fresh dimension. Scientists have transformed the “Cosmic Cliffs” image, first revealed in July 2022, into a sweeping three‑dimensional fly‑through that lets audiences dive into a glittering nursery of stars. The new visualization comes from NASA’s Universe of Learning program and premieres today during a centennial celebration of the first public planetarium, held by the International Planetarium Society in Munich. 3D view of star nursery The source photograph shows a jagged wall of gas and dust that looks...

Getting a song stuck in your head helps you to remember related life <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/traumatic-experiences-can-be-detected-in-the-eyes/">experiences</a>, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">UC Davis</a>.

The experts said the research offers an initial glimpse into these mechanisms and, somewhat surprisingly, finds that the songs that get stuck in your head help that process of strengthening memories as they first form. 

"Scientists have known for some time that music evokes autobiographical memories, and that those are among the emotional experiences with music that people cherish most," said study co-author Professor Petr Janata.

"What hasn't been understood to date is how those memories form in the first place and how they become so durable, such that just hearing a bit of a song can trigger vivid remembering."

The study is the first to link music-evoked remembering to a catchy song that gets stuck in your head, which is also referred to as an "earworm."

For the investigation, the researchers worked with 25 to 31 different people in three experiments. The trials were conducted over the course of three different days, and were spaced weeks apart. 

First, the study participants listened to unfamiliar music. A week later, they listened to the music again, but paired with unfamiliar movie clips. In one instance, movies were played without music. 

&nbsp;

The participants were asked to recall as many details as they could from each movie as the music played. They were also asked about their recollection of the associated tunes and how often they experienced each of the tunes as an earworm. 

The results showed that the more often a tune played in a person's head, the more accurate the memory for the tune became. In addition, the more frequent earworm, the more details the participant remembered from the specific section of the movie with which the song was paired.

After a week of viewing the movie, the effect of repeatedly experiencing a tune from the soundtrack as an earworm resulted in near-perfect retention of the movie details. These memories were as clear as when the individuals had first seen the movie. 

Furthermore, most of the participants were able to report what they were doing when the catchy song ran through their mind.

"Our paper shows that even if you are playing that song in your mind and not pulling up details of memories explicitly, that is still going to help solidify those memories," said Professor Janata.

"We typically think of earworms as random nuisance beyond our control, but our results show that earworms are a naturally occurring memory process that helps preserve recent experiences in long-term memory," said study co-author Benjamin Kubit.

The experts said they hope their research may eventually lead to the development of music-based interventions to help people suffering from dementia and other neurological disorders to remember events, people, and daily tasks.

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/xge">Journal of Experimental Psychology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Catchy songs help to form lasting memories

Getting a song stuck in your head helps you to...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.ufl.edu/">University of Florida</a> has shown that mosquitoes could become active year-round in places where they are usually dormant in the winter. The experts found that mosquitoes can adjust to rapid <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/temperatures-are-rising-unexpectedly-fast-on-the-tibetan-plateau/">temperature</a> changes.

"In tropical regions, mosquitoes are active all year, but that isn't the case for the rest of the world. Outside of the tropics, winter temperatures cause mosquitoes to go into a kind of hibernation called diapause. We call these mosquitoes 'cold bounded' because their activity is limited by these lower temperatures," explained study senior author Professor Brett Scheffers.

"However, with climate change, we expect summers to get longer and winters to become shorter and warmer. What will that mean for those cold bounded mosquitoes? How will they respond?" 

To investigate, the researchers conducted experiments with mosquitoes collected at more than 70 sites in and around Gainesville, Florida, which is located on the dividing line between subtropical and temperate climates. 

Overall, about 1,000 mosquitoes were randomly sampled for lab testing. The experts analyzed how mosquitoes responded to changes in temperature while considering what time of year they were collected. 

"We found that the mosquitoes in our study are what we call 'plastic,' meaning that, like a rubber band, the range of temperatures they can tolerate stretches and contracts at different times of year," said Professor Scheffers.

The study revealed that the mosquitoes' tolerable temperature range stretched out in the spring to include both warmer days and colder nights. In the summer, when the nights are warmer, their suitable temperature range contracts. 

In autumn, when temperatures begin to cool off, the range stretches again, explained Professor Scheffers.

"That tells us that as climate change makes our autumns and winters warmer, mosquitoes in more temperate regions are well prepared to be active during those times," said Professor Scheffers.

"Our results suggest that to better understand how well populations and species may be able to tolerate ongoing climate change, we need to measure species thermal responses across different times of the year," said study first author Brunno Oliveira.

"This information would help us to deliver a more accurate representation of the temperature range a species can tolerate."

To establish the upper or lower temperature thresholds, the researchers monitored the activity of each mosquito, which was placed in a vial that was then put in a water bath. Over time, the researchers changed the water temperature. When the mosquitoes became inactive, it was a signal that the upper or lower threshold had been reached. 

"It was surprising to see how well these little creatures could tolerate high temperatures during the experiments, often well above the mean ambient temperatures measured by the weather stations," said study co-author Gécica Yogo.

According to the researchers, it is not yet clear what allows mosquitoes to adjust to rapid changes in temperature.

"Many people do not realize how quickly natural selection can act on short-lived animals," said study co-author Professor Daniel Hahn. 

"Whether the changes we are seeing in mosquito thermal properties are due to rapid natural selection across seasons, seasonal plasticity - much like a dog changing its coat - or a combination of both, is what we are working on now."

The experts noted that insights from this study can help communities better prepare for the impacts of climate change as they relate to mosquitoes, which spread diseases that affect humans and animals.

"The more mosquito activity there is, the greater the risk of these diseases spreading. Knowledge is power, and knowing that mosquitoes will be more active for more of the year can inform how we get ready for climate change," said Professor Scheffers.

"When we talk about how climate change might affect plants and animals, we are often talking about species moving to new areas because the conditions are changing -- in other words, the arrival of something new. However, climate change will also affect species we live with right now, like highly flexible mosquitoes, and that's another aspect to consider."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19399170">Ecology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Mosquitoes could become active year-round

A new study from the University of Florida has shown...

Krill populations in the Southern Ocean are projected to decline by about 30 percent this century, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">CU Boulder</a>. While the projected krill losses are tied to anthropogenic global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/one-in-three-heat-related-deaths-tied-to-global-warming/">warming</a>, this will not be obvious right away. 

The experts report that the human-driven effects on Antarctic krill habitat will be indistinguishable from natural climate variability for decades to come.

The research has important implications for the local food web, and also for the largest commercial fishery in the Southern Ocean that supports a $2 billion fish oil industry.

Krill are small shrimplike crustaceans that play a huge role in the aquatic food chain. In the Southern Ocean, krill serve as the primary source of nutrients and energy for most of the marine predators, including penguins, seals, and whales.

"Krill are what links the ecosystem together," said study lead author Zephyr Sylvester. "They're really important to the Southern Ocean for pretty much every predator species."

Human-induced climate change is not the only factor that is altering the Antarctic krill habitat. Natural variability is also driving major changes.

"Climate change is rapidly altering the habitat of Antarctic krill, a key species of the Southern Ocean food web. Krill are a critical element of Southern Ocean ecosystems as well as biogeochemical cycles, while also supporting an international commercial fishery," wrote the study authors. 

"In addition to trends forced by global-scale, human-driven warming, the Southern Ocean is highly dynamic, displaying large fluctuations in surface climate on interannual to decadal timescales."

"The dual roles of forced climate change and natural variability affecting Antarctic krill habitat, and therefore productivity, complicate interplay of observed trends and contribute to uncertainty in future projections."

In order to predict population numbers and plan harvest limits, experts must separate the trends associated with human-driven warming from those arising naturally in krill habitat.

"The thing that we really have to understand is: Is there enough krill to feed everything that needs to eat it in the Southern Ocean, as well as humans?" said study co-author Professor Cassandra Brooks. "My hope is that we can take this as a first step to understanding how to manage krill better."

Despite being one of the most abundant species on Earth, krill can only survive in a limited temperature range and are extremely sensitive to changes in their environment.

Fishing in the Southern Ocean is currently managed by the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), an international body established as part of the Antarctic Treaty System. 

Four decades after CCAMLR was founded, however, catch limits on krill are still based on a stock assessment that does not account for natural environmental variability or climate change impacts.

While there is widespread recognition of the importance of understanding the impacts of climate change on this marine ecosystem, knowing how the climate naturally varies is an important prerequisite, explained Sylvester.

To investigate, the researchers ran a larger group of models many times, known as a large ensemble Earth system model. It is the first time this approach has been used for the Southern Ocean or for krill.

"Then we were able to look at the different trends and quantify how much the natural variability was masking the signal for climate change," said Sylvester.

The study is the first of its kind to use climate models to demonstrate that natural climate variability can obscure human-driven trends.

By being able to quantify how much change is likely to occur from natural variability, and separately from climate change, it allows everyone involved to plan better for the future and sustain krill for those who depend on it, said Professor Brooks.

"Even if we won't see this really strong signal from climate change until later, what's important for us to understand is that the Southern Ocean is a very dynamic system and we absolutely have to be managing for natural variability," explained Professor Brooks. "And we should be ready to manage the broader impacts of climate change."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science">Frontiers in Marine Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Krill face a double whammy of climate change

Krill populations in the Southern Ocean are projected to decline...

Thale,Cress,(arabidopsis,Thaliana),Blossoms,And,Buds,Macro,Picture

The scientific exploration of the natural world is a conundrum. We’ve scaled the highest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/flood-risk-could-triple-in-the-high-mountains-of-asia/">mountains</a> and discovered trash already waiting for us on the bottom of the ocean. Science has gathered so much information that sometimes, it seems there should be little left to learn. 

There are some aspects of the natural world especially familiar to science. Like the proverbial guinea pig, scientists come back to some organisms again and again to test ideas with potential broad applications. Thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana) is one of those organisms for botanists. 

Thale Cress is a pretty but nondescript little plant with spindly stalks bearing simple, white flowers. The plant is considered a weed, found in disturbed areas in its native home of Africa and Eurasia. First described by science in the 16th century, Thale Cress has become popular in genetic experiments since the 1940s. 

Rather than asking questions about the plant itself, most research has focused on using Arabidopsis thaliana as a model organism to ask more general questions about genetics, such as their impact on development and physiology. While it seemed that the research had surpassed understanding the modest thale cress, scientists recently discovered that we still have more to learn. 

Since 2008, Dr. Timothy Gookin, a postdoctoral researcher with Sarah Assmann’s lab at <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Pennsylvania State University</a>, has been working with thale cress. Considering the amount of study already directed at the thale cress, what he discovered was surprising - a new piece of plant anatomy dubbed the "cantil." 

“It took over 12 years of experimentation to really get a grasp on what we were seeing and to understand how cantils were regulated," said Dr. Gookin. "This study required the growth of 3,782 plants to full maturity and the manual inspection of over 20,000 flower-bearing stalks in 34 unique plant lines”

The name cantil itself comes from the unique function of the structure. Under rare circumstances such as short day length, cantils develop, seemingly as a counter balance to hold up flowers. The unique feature connects to the flower’s stem and hangs like a cantilever.    

"One speculative interpretation is that the cantil represents a highly repressed ancestral linkage between different types of flowering plant architectures; the multiple layers of genetic and environmental factors that regulate cantil development are certainly quite striking," said Dr. Gookin.

The study is published in <a href="https://www.biologists.com/">The Company of Biologists</a> journal <a href="https://journals.biologists.com/dev">Development</a>.

---

By <a href="http://zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner </a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Experts discover a new body part in plants

The scientific exploration of the natural world is a conundrum....

Satellite imagery has revolutionized the way we see the world. The international charter “Space and Major Disasters” in particular uses satellite imagery to help take a closer look at natural <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-media-posts-predict-economic-recovery-after-natural-disasters/">disasters</a> that may be hard to analyze without such a large view. 

On February 7, 2021 about 27 million metric tons of rock and ice fell from the flank of Ronti Peak in the Chamoli District of the Uttarakhand region in India. The debris plowed down the Ronti Gad, Rishiganga and Dhauliganga river valleys, sparking a humanitarian crisis. Over 200 people were killed and two under construction hydroelectric plants were destroyed. 

This tragedy activated the “Space and Major Disasters” services which provided free satellite images of the catastrophe as it unfolded. Combined with other freely available imagery, scientists were able to look closely at the parameters of the calamity. Elevation change, volume and distance travelled were able to be quantified. 

It was initially thought that the Chamoli disaster might be caused by a glacier lake outburst flood but this was quickly ruled out. A new report from the <a href="http://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes how a team of 53 scientists and experts reconstructed the events as they happened, incorporating video footage from bystanders with the satellite images. 

The analysis found that, in fact, the disaster was caused by an avalanche which formed near a Bergschrund. A Bergschrund is a crevasse that forms where ice sheets meet with a rock face on a mountain. Copernicus Sentinel-2 images show that the Bergschrund in question had opened up earlier and an avalanche had deposited debris in 2016. 

Overall, this approach to analysis shows that satellites may play a role in predicting the possibilities of avalanche threats in the future. It’s likely, the scientists involved in the study point out, that such natural disasters will become more common as the earth warms up.

“The rapid increase in the number of satellites orbiting Earth allowed our team to understand the basics of what happened in a matter of hours," said study lead author Professor Dan Shugar of the University of Calgary.

"We now have access to satellites that image every part of Earth every day - sometimes even multiple times per day - and this has really revolutionized how we do this sort of science.”

The study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>. 

---

By <a href="http://zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner </a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Satellites confirm: Avalanche caused the Chamoli Disaster

Satellite imagery has revolutionized the way we see the world....

Turbulence serves a source of energy that birds can use to their advantage, according to a new study led by <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a>. Instead of hindering the ability to fly, the experts found that turbulence seems to serve as a speed booster for birds. 

While the flight of birds may appear easy and graceful to earthbound spectators, winged animals are actually navigating air flow that is structured, textured and constantly in flux, explained Professor Gregory Bewley, who led the team.

For the investigation, the researchers partnered with two groups, Conservation Science Global and Cellular Tracking Technologies. The scientists captured a female golden eagle in Alabama and equipped the bird with a solar GPS telemetry unit that weighed less than three ounces.

Over the next 17 days, the eagle migrated north along the Appalachian Mountains toward Canada. During this time, the GPS "backpack" transmitted more than 200 hours of data including location, altitude, and speed through cellular networks.

The team also obtained wind speed data from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction, and compared it to the eagle's flight measurements. This allowed the experts to identify the bird's various flying and non-flying behaviors.

The researchers identified a "highly irregular, fluctuating pattern" in the eagle's accelerations. This pattern resembled the typical trajectories of particles in turbulent airflows.

For time periods ranging from 0.5 to 10 seconds, or approximately 1 to 25 wingbeats, the eagle's accelerations were completely in sync with atmospheric turbulence.

Professor Bewley believes there are opportunities to harness the energy of turbulence, particularly for autonomous transport and small reconnaissance aircraft.

"If you could find a path in which every vortex is pushing you the right way, then obviously you get there a little faster with a little less energy," said Professor Bewley. "We're still working hard to understand turbulence by itself. I think it's fascinating that there might be some practical empirical knowledge embodied in wildlife that we don't appreciate yet."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Turbulence gives birds a speed boost

Turbulence serves a source of energy that birds can use...

Biodiversity hotspots along streams and rivers in California are threatened by intensive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-ducks-balance-water-pressure-while-diving/">water</a> management. Rare plant species living in streamside forests can benefit from water that humans are diverting for their own needs, but these benefits are only short term, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.esf.edu/">SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry</a>.

The experts report that natural communities have become dependent on an artificial water supply, threatening their long-term survival.

As water is rerouted from rivers, an environment is created that promotes a "live fast, die young" strategy among the trees in streamside forests. These trees peak and decline within a few decades, according to the report. 

Furthermore, the extensive changes to streams and river channels are fixed in place, which means that there are no new floodplain areas where young trees can become established.

Plants and animals in California rely on the rainy winter and spring seasons to replenish their water supply. Trees in streamside forests, including willows, cottonwoods, and oaks, seek out groundwater to survive dry summers. 

The researchers analyzed five years of vegetation greenness data from Google Earth satellite imagery. They found that many streamside forest ecosystems are dependent upon "subsidies of water" provided by human regulation of rivers, agricultural canals, and discharges from wastewater treatment plants. 

Rohde said the discovery of this artificially stable environment was a "mind bender." In the most arid regions of the state, altered streamside communities remained greener for longer into the dry season. These ecosystems were less responsive to changes in groundwater levels.

California's Central Valley produces a third of the produce for the United States. This is also site where many of the most-altered stream ecosystems were identified. 

The researchers noted that 95 percent of the natural floodplain woodlands have been cleared across the region since the Gold Rush of the 1850s. The isolated streamside forests that remain provide important habitats for many endangered species.

"We call these forests the 'living dead' because the forest floor is devoid of saplings and younger trees that can replace the mature trees when they die," said study lead author Melissa Rohde.

"California is one of the most biodiverse regions in the world, containing more species than the rest of the United States and Canada combined."

"In the midst of the sixth mass extinction, the long-term sustainability of California's river ecosystems and the preservation of the rare and endemic species that live within them now rely on the deliberate, coordinated management of resource and government agencies." 

Insights from the study will be used to provide scientific guidance to California natural resource agencies for sustainably managing streamside ecosystems.

"We need to be more intentional in incorporating ecosystem water needs when we manage water - both for aquatic organisms and species on land," said Rohde. 

"These forest ecosystems are in a precarious state because we have disrupted the natural hydrologic processes that these plant species rely upon to support and sustain key life processes."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

California's streamside forests are threatened by water management

Biodiversity hotspots along streams and rivers in California are threatened...

Fires are a normal and natural part of life in the Rocky Mountains and much of the interior western United States. Hot summer days are normal too. It’s common knowledge today that humans are causing a shift in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/butterflies-and-moths-are-struggling-to-adapt-to-climate-change/">climate</a> to favor warmer, drier weather. 

For years, scientists have predicted that a shift in climate would also come along with an increase in forest fires. Now researchers working in the central Rocky Mountains of southern Wyoming and northern Colorado have evidence that this is already happening. 

Paleoecologists with both the University of Wyoming and the <a href="https://www.umt.edu/">University of Montana</a> collected ash deposited in lake bed sediments to look at the history of wildfires in the area. What they found was shocking. Following the extreme fire season of 2020, the researchers discovered that more high elevation forests are burning than at any point in the past 2,000 years. 

"As the 2020 fire season unfolded, we realized we already had a well-defined understanding of the fire history of many of the places burning, based on over 20 lake-sediment records our teams had collected over the past 15 years," said study lead author Professor Phillip Higuera. 

"When the smoke settled, we thought 'Wow, we may have witnessed something truly unprecedented here.' So we combined the existing records for the first time and compared them to recent fire activity. To our surprise, 2020 indeed pushed fire activity outside the range of variability these forests have experienced over at least the past two millennia."

The experts found that high elevation forests, which historically burned at a rate of once every 230 years, are now burning at a rate of every 120 years. The record shows that as climate has varied, Rocky Mountains fires have followed trends - the hotter and drier, the more fires. While none of this is surprising, it is still shocking to realize the harsh consequences of human-induced climate change have already emerged. 

“It's sobering to see that it's clearly happening, and early in the 21st century - not in 2050, not in 2075, but by 2020," said Professor Higuera.

Not only are there more fires accompanying climate change, but also unprecedented rates of fires in forests that are fire adapted. As one last word of hope, Professor Higuera pointed out that if we as humans can cause this problem, possibly we can fix it as well. 

"It's critical to remember that we have ample opportunities to limit or reverse climate warming while still working to adapt to the increasing fire activity expected in upcoming decades."

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

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By <a href="http://zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Unprecedented fires threaten the Central Rocky Mountains

Fires are a normal and natural part of life in...

The analysis of two 99 million-year-old fossils of the genus Oculudentavis has yielded some surprising results. Now that researchers have painstakingly examined the second fossil, they can confirm that the first was actually a lizard, even though it was initially believed to be a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/noise-pollution-is-changing-which-birds-visit-your-backyard/">bird</a>. 

The species represented by the second fossil was named Oculudentavis naga in honor of the Naga people of Myanmar and India. The specimen, which is preserved in amber, consists of a partial skeleton, a complete skull, and visible scales and soft tissue.

The first fossil of this genus, Oculudentavis khaungraae, was mistakenly labeled as a hummingbird-sized dinosaur. Its original description as the smallest known bird was retracted last year. 

A team of experts led by Arnau Bolet of Barcelona's Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont used CT scans to digitally analyze and compare each bone in the two species. They found physical characteristics which confirmed that the tiny animals were lizards. 

Oculudentavis is so strange, however, it was difficult to categorize without close examination of its features, explained Bolet. "The specimen puzzled all of us at first because if it was a lizard, it was a highly unusual one."

"From the moment we uploaded the first CT scan, everyone was brainstorming what it could be," said Professor Juan Diego Daza of Sam Houston State University. "In the end, a closer look and our analyses help us clarify its position."

The characteristics that distinguished Oculudentavis as a lizard were the presence of scales, teeth attached directly to its jawbone, lizard-like eye structures and shoulder bones; and a hockey stick-shaped skull bone that is universal among scaled reptiles.

The team discovered that the skulls of both specimens had deformed during preservation. The distortions highlighted birdlike features in one skull and lizard-like features in the other, said study co-author Edward Stanley of the <a href="https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/">Florida Museum of Natural History</a>.

"Imagine taking a lizard and pinching its nose into a triangular shape," said Stanley. "It would look a lot more like a bird."

The two skulls did not closely resemble one another at first, but the researchers said their shared characteristics became clearer as they isolated each bone and compared them with each other. 

"We concluded that both specimens are similar enough to belong to the same genus, Oculudentavis, but a number of differences suggest that they represent separate species," Bolet said.

Professor Daza noted that the Cretaceous Period, 145.5 to 66 million years ago, gave rise to many lizard and snake groups on the planet today, but tracing fossils from this era to their closest living relatives can be difficult.

"We estimate that many lizards originated during this time, but they still hadn't evolved their modern appearance," said Professor Daza. "That's why they can trick us. They may have characteristics of this group or that one, but in reality, they don't match perfectly."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Strange prehistoric lizard was mistaken for a bird

The analysis of two 99 million-year-old fossils of the genus...

Ozone pollution levels dropped rapidly in American and Asian cities during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new report from <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/">NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a>. 

The researchers found that emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), which create ozone pollution, decreased by up to 50 percent in some regions as global commerce slowed and the burning of fossil fuels was reduced. 

The experts report that by June 2020, global ozone pollution had dropped to a level that policymakers thought would take at least 15 years to reach through regulations and other conventional means.

When ozone is high in the stratosphere, it protects life on Earth from harmful solar radiation. Close to the ground, however, ozone is very dangerous to human health. In 2019 alone, ozone pollution caused an estimated 365,000 deaths due to lung damage. 

Plants are also affected by ozone pollution, which impacts their ability to photosynthesize. This ultimately reduces plant growth and crop yields. Furthermore, higher up in the troposphere, ozone acts as a heat-trapping greenhouse gas that increases global temperatures.

A team of international researchers led by JPL scientist Kazuyuki Miyazaki set out to investigate how human activity affects levels of nitrogen oxide and nitrogen dioxide, which are collectively called NOx. The experts found that the greatest reductions in NOx emissions were tied to the nations with the strictest COVID-19 lockdown measures.

In some Chinese cities, stay-at-home orders in early February 2020 resulted in a 50 percent drop in NOx emissions within a few weeks. Later in the spring,  most U.S. states achieved a 25 percent drop.

According to the study, ozone reductions from the reduced NOx emissions quickly spread both around the globe and from the surface upward more than 6 miles.

The results of the study suggest that strategies designed to decrease ozone pollution on a local level have the potential to rapidly improve air quality worldwide. 

“I was really surprised at how large the impact on global ozone was,” said study co-author and JPL scientist Jessica Neu. “We expected more of a local response at the surface.”

“I was very happy that our analysis system was able to capture the detailed changes in emissions across the world,” said Miyazaki. “The challenging and unprecedented nature of this work is a testament to improvements in satellite monitoring in service of societal needs.” 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Ozone pollution dropped dramatically during pandemic

Ozone pollution levels dropped rapidly in American and Asian cities...

The northern lights are created by high-powered electromagnetic waves that propel electrons toward Earth at a speed of millions of miles per hour. This decades-old theory has been confirmed in a new study by scientists at the <a href="https://uiowa.edu/">University of Iowa</a>.

"The shimmering displays of the aurora borealis have always fascinated humankind since the dawn of civilization, first inspiring both awe and fear for their seemingly mysterious origin, but more recently capturing the attention of scientists curious to explain what causes this natural phenomenon," study co-author Professor Greg Howes writes in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

"One of the proposed theories to explain the discrete auroral arcs - the most widely known type of the aurora, which appears as bright and undulating curtains of light - involves the acceleration of electrons by Earthward traveling Alfven waves, with a progression of events as follows."

Professor Howes explains that violent events on the Sun, such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections, disturb the flow of the solar wind that moves through the solar system. These disturbances, he says,  can trigger severe geomagnetic storms directed at the Earth, accompanied by some of the most intense auroral displays.

"The dynamics of the geomagnetic storm drives a process called magnetic reconnection in the Earth's distant magnetotail, in which magnetic field lines break and reform, eventually snapping back towards the Earth due to magnetic tension, like a stretched rubber band that is suddenly released." 

"This rebounding of the magnetic field launches Alfven waves that travel Earthward along the magnetic field. At altitudes below about three Earth radii (20,000 km, or 12,000 mi), where Alfven wave speed exceeds the electron thermal velocity, electrons moving in the same direction as the Alfven wave can be efficiently accelerated by the wave to higher speeds." 

The electrons "surf" on the electric field of the Alfven wave, picking up speed from the energy of the wave. This process, known as Landau damping, was first proposed in 1946 by Russian physicist Lev Landau.

In the current study, the experts determined that the accelerated electrons travel at speeds of up to 45 million miles per hour. Streaming down along the Earth's magnetic field, the supercharged electrons collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms in the thin air of the upper atmosphere. 

"The impact causes these atoms and molecules to emit light, resulting in the glow of the shimmering curtains of light in discrete auroral arcs," explains Professor Howes.

For the investigation, researchers from the University of Iowa collaborated with experts at Wheaton College and UCLA to conduct experiments on the Large Plasma Device (LAPD) at UCLA's Basic Plasma Science Facility. The team replicated the conditions of Earth's auroral magnetosphere in the laboratory.

"The research team used an innovative analysis technique that combines the measurements of the wave's electric field and the electrons to generate a unique signature of the electron acceleration by Landau damping," notes Professor Howes.

"Through numerical simulations and mathematical modeling, they showed that the signature of acceleration measured in the experiment agreed with the predicted signature for Landau damping." 

"The agreement of experiment, simulation, and modeling provides the first direct test showing that Alfven waves produce accelerated electrons that cause auroras."

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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

Northern lights linked to electrons traveling at millions of miles per hour

The northern lights are created by high-powered electromagnetic waves that...

A growing collection of research suggests that physical activity can delay or prevent the development of Alzheimer's disease. In older adults, aerobic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-do-some-people-benefit-more-from-exercise-than-others/">exercise</a> training improves memory, enhances blood flow, and increases gray and white matter volume.

The ability to measure the effects of exercise on memory biomarkers could advance efforts to prevent Alzheimer's disease or to effectively treat it. However, there is a lack of knowledge on which specific biomarkers can measure the effects of exercise on cognitive function.

To investigate, researchers at the <a href="https://www.fau.edu/">Florida Atlantic University</a> Schmidt College of Medicine and Brain Institute tested the theory that three specific biomarkers associated with learning and memory would increase in older adults following exercise training. The experts also theorized that these biomarkers correlate with cognition and metabolomics markers of brain health. 

The research was focused on myokine Cathepsin B (CTSB), brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and klotho. The team also used metabolomics, or the large-scale study of metabolites, which has become increasingly utilized to understand biochemical pathways that may be affected by Alzheimer's disease.

The metabolomics analysis was conducted using blood samples of 23 asymptomatic older adults with a genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease. The participants were divided into two groups: usual physical activity (UPA) and enhanced physical activity (EPA). The EPA group participated in 26 weeks of treadmill training. 

Blood samples showed that plasma CTSB levels were increased following the aerobic exercise training. The experts found that learning and memory correlated positively with change in CTSB but was not related to BDNF or klotho. 

The study also revealed that multiple lipid metabolites relevant to Alzheimer's disease were modified by exercise in a manner that may be neuroprotective. "Our findings position CTSB, BDNF, and klotho as exercise biomarkers for evaluating the effect of lifestyle interventions on brain function," said study co-author Dr. Henriette van Praag. 

"Human studies often utilize expensive and low throughput brain imaging analyses that are not practical for large population-wide studies."

"Systemic biomarkers that can measure the effect of exercise interventions on Alzheimer's-related outcomes quickly and at low-cost could be used to inform disease progression and to develop novel therapeutic targets."

After exercise, CTSB is secreted from muscle into circulation and is associated with memory function and adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Older adults with cognitive impairment have lower serum and brain CTSB levels. 

"The positive association between CTSB and cognition, and the substantial modulation of lipid metabolites implicated in dementia, support the beneficial effects of exercise training on brain function and brain health in asymptomatic individuals at risk for Alzheimer's disease," said Dr. van Praag.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology">Frontiers in Endocrinology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Exercise protects older adults from the onset of Alzheimer's disease

A growing collection of research suggests that physical activity can...

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



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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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.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

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" 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 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

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

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.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

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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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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